Step outside your home. What do you see, smell, hear? It might be summertime but the warm, sunny days can also mean triggers for your asthma and allergies.
Triggers are things that bother sensitive airways and lead to asthma episodes. There are two types of triggers: allergens and irritants. Allergens are specific to a person, while irritants affect everyone. Not all triggers affect people the same way. This is why it’s important to know your triggers and how to avoid them:
Grass, trees, and pollen: Avoid outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. When playing outside with friends try to lower your time spent in fields of tall grass or flowers.
Cockroaches and rodents: Keep food in sealed containers. Clean up all spills or crumbs right away.
Dust: Dust and clean regularly. Make sure to keep stuffed animals & blankets in sealed containers and wash them often.
Animals: Keep animals out of your sleeping area. We spend 8 or more hours in the bedroom so we can try our best not to allow our furry friends to be near our pillows or bed sheets.
Mold: Mold growth is found in wet areas. Make sure to keep your living area as dry as possible. Turn on the fan after you shower, use a dehumidifier in your room, or open up a window to lower the amount of water in the air.
Strong emotions: Strong emotions can elicit a change in your breathing pattern that can trigger an asthma episode. Try to stay calm and take deep breaths whenever you feel your first warning sign.
Cold, flu, and COVID: Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. Stay at least 6 feet away from anyone that is sick. Wear a mask. Get your flu shot and COVID booster every year to help your body fight off germs.
Air pollution: Check the weather app online to see the air quality outside. If the air quality number is higher than 100, limit your time outside to 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Smoke: Inhaling any type of smoke can trigger your asthma. If someone is smoking around you, politely ask them to stop by communicating that their actions affect your asthma and makes it hard to breathe. If they refuse, try to remove yourself from the area.
Strong odors: Common items like cologne, perfume, air fresheners, or cleaning supplies can trigger your asthma. Instead, use odorless cleaning sprays and disinfectant wipes.
Hot and cold weather: Weather can make it hard to breathe. Cold weather dries up the air, which irritates the airways. Hot weather traps more pollution and pollen in the air because of the high temperatures. Make sure you wear your scarf, hat, gloves, and masks in the colder months of the year. In the summer, avoid going outside between 2-4pm when temperatures are strongest.
Exercise: While you can experience an asthma episode while exercising, do not let your asthma stop you from being physically active! Make sure to warm up and cool down before and after exercise to regulate breathing. Take your quick-relief inhaler 10 to 15 minutes before any physical activity and don’t forget to stay hydrated!
As people age, they may also develop new triggers. It’s not always easy avoiding your triggers so always carry your quick-relief inhaler! As always, talk to your doctor about any trigger you may have, they may be able to recommend allergy medication.