Asthma Triggers
Asthma is a respiratory system disease which causes you to have difficulty breathing. It is characterized by a feeling of chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and occasionally a feeling of being winded. Since asthma causes the narrowing of your bronchial tubes, breathing difficulties lead to a lack of oxygen, dizziness, and even fainting.
Triggers for an asthma attack include allergens such as mold and pollen, cold air, odors, and exercise. An asthmatic episode can include breathlessness, delayed expiration of breath, fast breathing, and a faster heart rate. When an asthma attack is severe, the lack of oxygen which can bring on chest pain, fainting, and unconsciousness. Non-allergic asthma is mostly triggered by nervousness, tension, a burst of cold air or hot dry air, exercising, smoking, or other inhaled irritants. Although asthma is a hereditary condition, even if one or both of your parents have asthma it does not follow that you will also have asthma.
How to cope with your condition
Asthma is mostly treated medically in two different ways: with an inhaler or with a tablet. Inhalers are the quick cure and relieve symptoms so that you can breathe normally in just a few minutes. The long-term treatment is normally anti-inflammatory medications that can control the inflammation in the airways to the lungs. But you need to let your doctor know about all other medications and drugs you are taking and learn to use your medication correctly. And ask your doctor how to use your inhaler so that medication gets into the airways in the right dose.
You also need to identify and avoid things that can worsen or trigger your asthma. For instance, if animal dander is a problem, keep your pet out of the house; if cigarette smoke is an issue, don’t allow smoking in your home; if pollen is a problem, stay indoors when the pollen count is high; and wash your sheets, blankets, pillows to control dust mites. If you get asthma when you exercise or during routine physical activities such as climbing stairs, find ways to be active without having asthma symptoms.
