You Can Control Your Asthma: Asthma Attack Prevention

1. What are the causes of asthma?

You’ve probably already heard of many of the ways to prevent or reduce your asthma triggers. For example, change your sheets, replace your air filters, clean out the mold, etc. Asthma sufferers get told this so often that many times it falls on deaf ears and the specifics start to get tuned out. So maybe you start changing your air filters every two months rather than every three, but is that enough?  The first step is identifying what actually triggers and causes your asthma so that you can attempt to avoid or limit exposure to these things.

Some of the more common triggers for asthma include irritants and allergens.  Irritants include:

• Perfumes, colognes, scented lotions, or soaps

• Hairspray

• Cleaning products

• Tobacco smoke

• Vapor from e-cigarettes

• Smoke from other sources like burning wood or burnt food

Common allergen triggers include:

• Dust mites

• Pollen

• Feather

• Animal dander such as cats or dogs

• Cockroaches

• Molds
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Do you have pets? Do you have allergies or breathing conditions such as asthma? Since you made it this far, I’m going to consider this one a yes! Do you live in a dusty environment or has there been construction near your home? These are all things that can contribute to your allergies and asthma.

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So, what can you do to help prevent asthma triggers?

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• Make sure that you are changing your air conditioner filters frequently. For people with allergies or asthma, it is generally recommended to change them every three to four weeks. The filter is what catches and traps the particles from the air before they can get to the vents and be blown back out into your home.
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• Consider purchasing a HEPA Air Purifier. If you think of your air filter as a moat around the castle, then an air purifier is the actual wall of the castle. It’s going to stop just about anything from coming in, but only in certain spots. These are wonderful to put in spots of your home where you spend the bulk of your time – living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchen area. They’ll help to eliminate any pesky asthma triggers that slip by your air filter. According to the EPA, this occurs because our homes have become so air-tight that any allergens we bring into our homes have no way to get out. Go for a jog in the spring? You’ll be bringing in all the pollen once you walk into your house. You can eliminate this as best you can by washing off and putting your clothes in the hamper, but the allergens particle won’t totally be out of the air. The air purifier will help to clean these things out of the air.  When shopping for an air purifier you will need to know the approximate size of the area that you are wanting to use it.
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• Watch for water leaks and repair them ASAP to prevent mold.  
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• Keep the indoor humidity between 40 and 60%.  If you live in an area of high humidity, consider purchasing a dehumidifier.

• Keep your home clean.  Vacuum carpets (using a HEPA filter vacuum) at minimum once per week. Wash all bedding, stuffed animals, and curtains at least once per week in hot water- at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
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• If you have pets in the home, don’t allow them in the room of the person with asthma or allergies, and especially don’t let them in the bed!

• Prevent pest problems, such as cockroaches, by cleaning up all food crumbs or drink spills, washing dishes, cleaning counters, and storing food in air-tight containers.

• Avoid irritants such as smoke, strong fragrances and odors, and cleaning products.  If your child has asthma, try to clean when they are not home.

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2. Know your asthma symptoms:

Asthma symptoms can be different for everyone, and they depend on a number of factors, including how severe asthma is, what type you have, how well you’re able to manage it, and what season it is. Even so, there are some red flags that could indicate an asthma attack or other asthma issues: 

• Shortness of breath
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• Chest pain or tightness
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• Excessive wheezing
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• Trouble sleeping caused by coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
  

How can you tell if you’re having an asthma attack?

• Does your breathing feel tight?
  
  
• Does it feel like you’re not getting enough air into your lungs or that you’re breathing through a straw—especially when you do things like climb stairs or run up from a sitting position? 

• Do you feel chest tightness? 

• When you breathe in deeply, does it hurt? Or does something push against your lungs?
  
  
• Does your wheezing get worse when exercising? 

If you said yes to any of these asthma symptoms, track the symptoms back to the trigger.

• Start by writing down what triggers your asthma attacks. It could be pollen, dust mites, or pet dander (the most common allergens). It could also be changes in temperature or exercise or even certain foods.
  
  
• Once you know what triggers your asthma attacks, try keeping a diary of when they happen so you can start noticing patterns. The more information you have about how asthma affects you personally, the easier it will be to manage it effectively.
  
  
• If symptoms continue to worsen, contact your doctor. 
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 Make sure to have an asthma action plan. This will help you and others better understand what to do in an asthma emergency.
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3. Finding asthma treatment

If you suffer from allergies in addition to your asthma, the most effective way to deal with these triggers is through immunotherapy. This is the process of desensitizing your immune system to your allergies by slowly exposing your body to the allergens that affect you. You probably know this form of treatment as allergy shots or allergy drops.

We recommend allergy drops or shots to all of our asthmatic patients that also suffer from allergies. Allergies are a major trigger for asthma attacks, so building up a tolerance to your allergies is a very effective way of dealing with these triggers and reducing your asthma flares. 

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If you have asthma, it’s important to have an open dialogue with your doctor about how you can manage your allergies in addition to managing your asthma. Immunotherapy can be a great option for many people suffering from both conditions. If you have questions about asthma or immunotherapy treatment options, visit aspireallergy.com. Our team will help you find an immunotherapy treatment plan that works best for you!

Taking care of your asthma is a constant process and the quicker you are to form these habits the quicker you will feel better. Remember that asthma may affect your life in some ways, but that doesn’t mean that it has to control your life. Let us help you understand your asthma better. Make an appointment today!