Tips to help prevent asthma

Asthma is a lung condition that causes wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. It is triggered by irritants or some allergen, like - cold air, viruses, tobacco smoke, dust, pollen, moulds, and animal dander. Some people have coughing or wheezing only during exercise (called exercise-induced asthma)

Avoid smoke, especially cigarette smoke, vapours and chemical fumes.

Stay indoors during the humid season or the change of seasons especially when the pollen count is high.

Do not use fans in closed and dusty places.

Cover mattresses and pillows with plastic covers. Wash the bedding in hot water every week.

Do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless it is thoroughly cleaned.

Do not have close contact with pets. Pet owners should bathe their pet weekly.

The cleaning of the house or the surroundings should be done by wet mopping rather than sweeping, wherever possible. This avoids the generation of allergen aerosols which could act as a triggering factor.

The doctor should be contacted in case the medicines are not effective in keeping the breathing comfortable.

Asthma triggers

Asthma attacks may include coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and trouble breathing. An asthma attack can occur when you are exposed to things in the environment, such as house dust mites and tobacco smoke. It can be prevented by using inhalers.

Smoke: People who smoke cigarettes are more likely to get asthma. Both active and passive smoking makes the symptoms such as coughing and wheezing worse.

Dust: Dust particles in your surroundings, cold air, changes in temperature, humidity, bad weather such as thunderstorms, biomass smoke from burning wood, grass can also trigger an asthma attack.

Air pollution: Air pollutants such as smoke, ground level ozone, vehicle exhaust, and others are in the class of asthma triggers. Air pollutants are known as one of the main risk factors for developing asthma in urban environments.

Cockroach: Studies in the past have shown that children those who have cockroach droppings or cockroach particles in their homes are more likely to have childhood asthma than others.

Exercise: Strenuous exercise can cause a narrowing of the airways in about 80% of people with asthma. In some people, exercise is the main trigger for their asthma symptoms. If you have exercise-induced asthma, you will feel chest tightness, coughing, and difficulty breathing within the first five to eight minutes of an aerobic workout.

Preservatives: Food preservatives can also trigger asthma. Sulfite additives, such as sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite, are commonly used in food processing or preparation and may trigger asthma.