Top 5 Asthma Triggers
Asthma is a chronic disease caused by the inflammation in the airways. Its causes can vary from one person to another. One of the symptoms of asthma is having difficulty in breathing. When you have asthma, your airways will narrow and swell. They produce a lot of mucus. This triggers coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
If you have an asthma attack, the best thing to do is to seek treatment before it becomes a life-threatening disease. The first way to control the effects of asthma is understanding the triggers. Here are some asthma triggers that you should watch out for:
1. Exercise
Exercising makes one breathe harder, which can trigger asthma conditions. Exercises or physical activities that are mainly done in the cold air usually triggers asthma. There is exercise-induced asthma, which is caused by physical activity. Symptoms of asthma occur some minutes after the exercise, but it’s advisable to seek treatment when symptoms appear soon. If you have a proper treatment, there is no need to reduce or limit your physical activity. Some of the symptoms of an exercise-induced system include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. It is good to have exercise in the warm and humid air because exercising in the cold exposes one to drier air, which makes breathing difficult.
2. Weather
Weather changes such as dry wind and cold air can also trigger asthma. Thunderstorms that are experienced during the high pollen and humidity affects people with asthma issues. After the pollen grains are broken into pieces, the wind from the storm spreads the particles around, making asthmatic people to inhale those hence triggering asthma symptoms. A simple change in temperature can also trigger asthma.
3. Dust mites
These are very bugs that are found in almost every home. They can trigger an asthma attack if you are around them, and you have asthma. If you want to get rid of them and prevent them from attacking you, use mattress and pillow covers to be a barrier between you and the dust mites. You don’t have to use down-fill pillows or comforters. To prevent these dust mites, make sure you clean your beddings every week. Do the clutter and remove all the animals in your bedroom. By doing this, you will be doing away with dust mites hence reducing the asthma trigger attack.
4. Molds
Always get rid of molds whenever they appear at your home because they can trigger an asthma attack. Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier to keep low humidity. High humidity and a lot of moisture create favorable conditions for mold to grow. You can use a hygrometer to check humidity and make the water leaks, which may allow the growth of molds in walls or on the floor, are fixed.
5. Pollen
Pollen is also a major trigger of asthma. The best way to prevent it is to avoid going outside during the pollen peak hours. This mostly happens during morning hours. Shower immediately when you come home and change your clothes to get rid of the pollen and allergens from your body and clothes. Make sure you shut the windows and the door and leave the air conditioner on. Allergy shots treat pollen allergies, making them less severe.