How to avoid your asthma triggers
How to avoid your asthma triggers
Asthma triggers are substances, conditions or activities that lead to symptoms of
asthma
.
Asthma symptoms
Asthma symptoms include:
difficulty breathing
coughing
wheezing
shortness of breath.
These symptoms can become severe and lead to a life-threatening
asthma emergency
.
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by substances that cause allergic reactions or by conditions or activities not related to allergies. Ask your doctor about how you can avoid or reduce exposure to triggers of your asthma symptoms. You should also ask your doctor to update your
asthma action plan
annually for adults and every 6 months for
children with asthma
.
Allergic triggers of asthma
Allergies
are a common cause of asthma symptoms. Most people identify more than one allergy but the symptoms experienced vary from person to person and can include
hay fever
,
skin
reactions,
asthma
or a life-threatening
severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
.
If you are allergic to a substance that causes your asthma symptoms to flare up, you can take action to avoid or reduce exposure to the allergy trigger.
Common allergy triggers of asthma symptoms
Allergy triggers that can lead to asthma symptoms include:
dust mites
animal dander – especially from cats and dogs
mould spores
– which can be worse at certain times of the year
pollen
– from grass, weeds and trees and usually occurring seasonally
workplace substances
– such as latex, wood dust or flour.
Food allergies
do not usually cause asthma themselves, but people with food allergies can be more susceptible to symptoms of asthma.
Sulphites contained in food and drink may cause asthma symptoms.
How to reduce allergy triggers to asthma
Reducing exposure to substances that trigger your allergies and asthma symptoms is an important part of your
asthma management
. However, even with good allergy and trigger management, it is recommended you speak with your doctor about taking regular
preventer medication
to keep your asthma under control.
Taking regular preventer medication is the most important part of asthma management. But being aware of and reducing exposure to your triggers, if you can, will help you get better control and confidence over your asthma.
Tips to reduce exposure to animal dander
The best strategy to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction is to avoid contact with the type of animal that causes your allergy. This can be difficult if you have a pet or if you visit another household where there is a pet.
Tips that can help to reduce the risk of exposure to animal allergy triggers include:
Make sure that furred animals do not enter your home.
Have a low-allergy pet.
Find an existing pet a new home.
Keep your pet in one area of the house.
Make sure your pet does not enter your bedroom or sleep on your bed.
Use high-efficiency air cleaners.
Avoid carpets or rugs, especially in bedrooms.
Wash your pet every week.
Brushing or groom pets outside.
Vacuum regularly.
Tips to reduce exposure to house dust mites
To reduce exposure to
house dust mites
:
Wash bed linen each week in water above 60ºC.
Use blankets and doonas that can be washed.
Avoid carpet and rugs where possible.
Vacuum each week using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
Clean hard floors weekly with a damp or anti-static cloth, mop or a steam mop.
Dust weekly using a damp or anti-static cloth.
Avoid textured or cloth upholstery on furniture – leather, wood and vinyl are best.
Consider using venetian blinds and flat blinds – they are easier to clean than cloth curtains.
Choose bedding, such as mattress and pillow protectors, that are mite resistant and wash them regularly – this may be effective when used in combination with the above.
In general, washing in hot water above 60ºC both kills dust mites and removes the allergic substance the mites produce. Drying items in a hot dryer will kill the mites once the clothes are dry, but will not remove the allergic substance.
Unfortunately, reducing exposure does not mean you will see an improvement in symptoms. Most studies have failed to show improvements in asthma from using strategies or products to get rid of or reduce contact with house dust mite allergens. It is better to focus on gaining control of symptoms by using asthma medications correctly.
Tips to reduce exposure to pollen
The season for
pollen allergies
can last for several months and occurs when plants are flowering. The timing of your own personal allergy season will depend upon which plants you are allergic to, and when they flower.
A direct way to manage pollen allergies is to reduce your exposure to pollens. Pollen counts are published in the media and on sites supported by the Australian Government and can help you to plan to avoid exposure.
To reduce your exposure to pollen during peak times:
Stay indoors in the morning, if possible – grass pollens mainly circulate in the morning.
Avoid mowing the grass, or wear a mask when you mow – if someone else is doing the mowing, stay indoors while they do so.
Keep windows closed in your home and car.
Avoid picnics in parks or in the country during the pollen season.
Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Plant a
low-allergy
garden
External Link
(plants that are pollinated by birds or insects, not wind) around your home, especially near the windows of your home.
Tips to reduce exposure to mould spores
The best strategy for any allergy is to avoid the allergy trigger. For
mould spores
, this can be difficult, but you can certainly take action to reduce mould in your home.
To reduce mould in your home:
If possible, ask someone who doesn’t have asthma to clean mould.
Wear waterproof footwear, rubber gloves, a shower cap, safety goggles and a disposable N95/P2 face mask. Surgical and fabric masks do not protect against spores and bacteria.
Treat existing mould on surfaces such as bathroom ceilings and walls with fermented white vinegar solution.
Prevent water damage on carpets and remove if wet.
Eliminate sources of dampness – leaking pipes or seeping groundwater.
Change filters regularly in heating and air-conditioning units, and have heating ducts cleaned often.
Ventilate bathrooms and seal leaks.
Avoid indoor pot plants, organic mulch and compost.
Treat rising damp immediately.
Asthma Australia has a
fact sheet about
mould
External Link
.
Non-allergy triggers for asthma
Non-allergy triggers do not involve an allergic reaction of your immune system. Asthma symptoms are brought on in other ways.
Understanding what triggers your asthma symptoms will help you to manage them. Ask your doctor for tips on how to avoid or reduce exposure to situations, conditions or irritants that can trigger asthma.
Common non-allergy triggers of asthma symptoms
Non-allergy triggers that can lead to asthma symptoms include:
exposure to
cigarette smoke
airway infections like respiratory viruses, COVID–19,
colds
and
flu
, especially during infancy
indoor and outdoor air pollution
weather conditions – such as cold air or
thunderstorms
exercise
food additives
– such as sulphites in food and drink.
Tips to reduce exposure to cigarette smoke
Aim for a smoke-free environment, both for yourself and your children. If you
smoke
, speak to your doctor about quitting.
Not only can smoking irritate your lungs and be a trigger for your asthma, smoking reduces how well preventer medications work for managing asthma.
If you are
pregnant and you smoke
, your child is at much greater risk of asthma. Babies of mothers who smoke are 4 times more likely to develop asthma.
Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home. Smoking in a small area like a car is especially bad and opening the windows does not help. Even if you do not smoke near your children, or someone with asthma, the smoke remains in your clothes and can still affect them.
Talk to your doctor about
how to quit smoking
. There are a range of effective medical prescriptions available to support this important step. Call
Quit
External Link
Tel.
13 78 48
.
Tips to reduce the risk of airway infections
Colds
and viruses like COVID-19 or
flu
are a very common cause of asthma symptoms. After an airway infection, people with asthma are more likely to develop complications, such as
pneumonia
or
bronchitis
.
To reduce the risk of an airway infection, such as COVID-19, colds or flu:
have an annual
flu vaccination
and booster COVID-19 vaccination
avoid contact with others who have respiratory illnesses, cold symptoms or flu symptoms
avoid sharing personal items with someone who has respiratory illness, cold symptoms or flu symptoms
wash your hands regularly
clean surfaces around your home regularly
stay home when unwell
test for COVID-19.
COVID-19 protocols have shown us how beneficial these measures can be to avoid respiratory infections.
Tips to reduce exposure to indoor pollution
To reduce air pollution in your
home
:
avoid all cigarette smoke in your home
clean mould or damp from all surfaces
make sure all heaters and gas appliances are vented correctly and inspected every year
avoid fan-forced ducted heating because it circulates dust – choose radiant heating instead
avoid wood stoves or make sure the doors to the stove fit tightly
avoid using open fireplaces
avoid household products that can irritate the airways – such as cleaning products, paints, varnishes, pesticides, perfumes and soaps.
Tips to reduce exposure to outdoor pollution and weather
Avoiding
outdoor pollution
or weather conditions can be difficult, but tips for reducing your exposure include:
Check media for daily outdoor air quality reports.
Stay indoors with windows closed on high-pollution days – use an air conditioner on recirculate to filter the air.
Stay indoors with windows closed and vents blocked if hazard-reduction burns or bushfire smoke is in your area; use a N95 mask if you do need to go out on these days to reduce some of the irritation.
Avoid physical activity on high-pollution days or if smoke is in the air.
Avoid cold air in winter – wear a scarf over your nose and mouth, and exercise indoors.
Tips to reduce the risk of exercise-induced asthma
Exercise
is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and can help to control asthma symptoms. Many top athletes, including Olympic medallists, have asthma.
Tips to reduce the risk of
asthma symptoms during exercise
include:
Manage and control your asthma with
preventer medication
so you are less likely to have symptoms.
Always carrying your
reliever medication
with you.
Warm up as usual before exercising – your doctor may recommend taking reliever medication 15 minutes before exercising.
Cool down after exercising – asthma symptoms can appear up to 30 minutes after exercising.
If symptoms appear, start
asthma first aid
and return to exercise only if you can breathe freely. If symptoms appear a second time, start asthma first aid and do not return to exercise. Visit your doctor for a review of your asthma symptoms.
Scuba diving and asthma
Scuba diving if you have uncontrolled asthma can be life-threatening. In fact, it is one of the few sports that is not recommended for some people with asthma.
The risk is that you may breathe in air at a certain pressure at a certain depth, then have that higher pressure air become trapped in your lungs due to asthma closing the air passages in your lungs. As you rise to the surface (where the air pressure is lower), that trapped air will expand and may cause injury to your lung. This is called barotrauma (pneumothorax or air embolism) and can be very dangerous.
Only people with mild and well-controlled asthma should consider scuba diving and only with careful medical clearance. Diving regulations vary from country to country so if you have asthma and are keen to dive, it’s best to check on the local requirements and have a thoughtful discussion with your doctor.
Where to get help
In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)
Emergency department of your nearest hospital
Your
GP (doctor)
NURSE-ON-CALL
Tel.
1300 60 60 24
– for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
National Home Doctor
Service
External Link
– for after-hours home doctor visits (bulk billed) Tel. 13 SICK (
13 74 25
)
Asthma
Australia
External Link
Tel. 1800 ASTHMA (
1800 278 462
)
National Asthma Council
Australia
External Link
Allergy and Anaphylaxis
Australia
External Link
Tel.
1300 728 000
The Royal Children’s
Hospital
External Link
– videos to help you better understand and manage your child’s asthma
Sensitive
Choice
External Link
, National Asthma Council Australia