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Asthma and the Environment
Indoor and outdoor environments play an important role in the development and
management of asthma. Avoiding the things that bring on your asthma
symptoms—your asthma triggers—is another important part of your asthma action
plan.
Common asthma triggers:
-
Allergens are substances that can cause you to have an allergic
reaction. That is, in some people, the immune system sees them as
“foreign” or “dangerous” and reacts in an exaggerated way to protect
the body against them. Some common allergens are:
- Animal dander—scales or dried saliva from the hair, skin, or
feathers of animals.
- Dust mites—tiny bugs that thrive in mattresses, upholstered
furniture, carpets, and stuffed animals.
- Cockroach droppings.
- Pollen from trees and grass.
- Molds, both indoor and outdoor.
- Irritants are things in the environment that may irritate your
lungs, such as:
- Cigarette smoke.
- Air pollution, including ozone.
- Cold air or changes in weather like freezing temperatures,
high humidity, and thunderstorms.
- Strong odors or sprays, such as perfumes, air
fresheners, household
cleaners, cooking fumes, paints, or
varnishes.
Asthma and exercise:
-
Physical activity
can trigger symptoms in most people with asthma. Symptoms may
occur either during or right after being active.
But regular physical activity is good for all of us. In fact, doctors recommend
that most people, including people with asthma, get at least 30 minutes of
moderate physical activity most days of the week.
The good news is that if you have good control of your asthma, exercise should
not be a problem for you. In fact, most people with asthma should be able to
participate in any physical activity they like without having asthma symptoms.
Your healthcare provider may recommend using an inhaler about 15 minutes before
exercise. This usually can prevent and control exercise-induced asthma.
-
Check air quality before exercising outdoors
- We enjoy good air quality most days in Washington. However, there
are periods when poor air quality can cause problems for people with
lung and heart conditions. It is important for these people to monitor air
quality and limit outdoor activity when air quality is very
poor. People with lung conditions should also have medications on
hand.
Washington Air Quality Advisory offers real-time air monitoring data in many areas of the
state.
Additional resources:
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