Asthma can be extremely disruptive when it comes toyour everyday life. Affecting the airways, asthma can cause shortness ofbreath, discomfort and panic.
However, as well as the obvious causes – like workingout or running for the bus – asthma can be triggered by a number of factors,and, the chances are, you don’t even know about them.
Below, we list five of the lesser known culpritsbehind your asthma attacks.
Indoor environment
The conditions in which you live play a significantrole when it comes to your health. A build-up of dust in your bedroom, livingareas or attic can bring on your symptoms, and mould or damp in your bathroomcan also have a negative impact. If you’re into DIY, take care when handlingand storing paint, glue and varnishes, even if they’re in the garage.
Second-hand smoke
It goes without saying that cigarettes are hazardousto your health, and it’s common knowledge that smoking can cause serious lungdamage. According to Asthma UK, around 82% of people suffering with thecondition find that tobacco smoke affects their asthma. However, you don’t needto be a smoker to feel the effects of smoking - the chemicals in cigarettesmoke cause irritation and inflammation of the lungs and airways.
Emotions
Our emotions can really toy with our asthma symptoms.Perhaps your asthma has been triggered by laughing at a friend’s joke (read:misfortune), or by crying while watching an especially sad scene in a film –you may want to avoid The Light BetweenOceans if you have asthma and a tendency to cry. In fact, the GlobalInitiative for Asthma (GINA) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) have both reporteda link between laughter and asthma, so you don’t necessarily need to be sad tofeel the effects.
Alcohol
Did you know that the glass of wine you indulged inlast night may have affected your asthma? Probably not. However, according to asurvey by Asthma UK, 64% of sufferers claim that certain alcoholic drinks cantrigger their symptoms. Red wine was the primary offender, with beer and cidernot far behind. If you’ve noticed a correlation between certain alcoholicdrinks and the worsening of your symptoms, it’s best to avoid the beveragealtogether.
Stress and anxiety
Asthma UK has revealed that 69% of asthma sufferers reportedthat feelings of stress and anxiety can bring on their symptoms. When stressed,our bodies release extra hormones - and we react with tense muscles, fasterbreathing and a quickened heart rate, all of which can contribute to worsenedasthma symptoms. To minimise the impact stress and anxiety can have on yourasthma symptoms, make sure you’re managing your condition well – stay healthy,take your meds and speak to your doctor if you’re feeling more stressed thanusual.
To stay ahead of your asthma and allergy outbreaks,the Sensio AIR team recommends regular visits to your GP, careful use ofmedication and the use of an at-home air quality monitor. The Sensio AIR devicewill be available to buy soon, but until then, you can manage your symptoms bydownloading the app here.
Sources:
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/ (Accessed: 17/05/17)
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/alcohol/ (Accessed:17/05/17)
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/stress/ (Accessed:17/05/17)
Tags:
asthma, allergy, respiratorym disease, triggers,cause, children, health, healthcare, symptoms, SensioAIR, airpollution,allergens, illness, stress, smoking, exercise, alcohol, mentalhealth, alcohol,anxiety
[Image courtesy of Jill Wellington / Pixabay]
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