1. Not Just Kid Stuff
Asthma can occur at any point in life. It's not uncommon for childhood asthma to recur in adulthood or become more severe. Childhood asthma often occurs at birth or because of typical childhood physical activities like running and playing, whereas adult asthma becomes active because of a person's lifestyle or hormonal and body changes. Poor diet and smoking can trigger asthma in adults and make it harder to control.
2. Control Your Environment
As an adult it's easier to control your environment that it was as a child. Take your environment into account when determining the causes of your asthma and limit your exposure to places that could trigger an attack. Be careful in the winter when cold, dry air dries out the lungs. Avoid places with such environmental triggers as pollution or chemicals in the air. Make sure you're in a well-ventilated area with an inhaler handy if you have to use spray paints, house cleaners or bleach products.
3. Find a Natural Fix
There are several natural remedies that can help control the symptoms of adult asthma and prevent asthma attacks. Drink hot tea or hot water with lemon to soothe inflamed lungs or swallow a teaspoon of honey to help calm bronchial passages when you feel an attack coming. Inhale the steam from a shower to help restore moisture to your lungs.
4. Medication for Health Maintenance
Some asthma medications can be taken daily to control asthma symptoms and decrease attacks. These medications are often called "maintenance medications" as opposed to "emergency medications" that you take at the onset of an attack for immediate relief. Maintenance medications are available in tablet form, like Singulair, and as an inhaler, like Flovent or Advair. Lots of adult asthma sufferers use maintenance medications daily to control their asthma symptoms and avoid the risk of a sudden asthma attack.
5. Live Your Life
You don't need to let adult asthma hold you back from living an active, happy life. As long as you're careful about your activities and knowledgeable about your individual triggers, you can control your asthma. You still need to be careful, though. Stay away from potential asthma attack triggers, keep an inhaler handy at all times, take your medication regularly, and make sure friends and family know how to help you if you have an asthma attack.
