Asthma Triggers in Adults

Asthma is a medical condition in which blocked or narrowed airways cause difficulty breathing, leading to symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that 20 million Americans currently suffer from asthma. A substance that irritates your airways, causing asthma symptoms, is known as a trigger. Identifying and avoiding your triggers helps minimize your symptoms and improves your quality of life.

Indoor Allergens

• The common indoor allergens include feathers, mold, house dust mites, animal dander and cockroaches. Dust mites feed on tiny scraps of shed skin and are found in every home. Wooden or tile flooring reduces your exposure to dust mites, compared to carpet, as does keeping the relative humidity in your house below 50 percent in the summer. Regular vacuuming will help to remove both dust mites and animal dander from your home.

  To reduce exposure to mold, make sure that there are no areas in your home that remain damp for a prolonged period of time. It may be a good idea to check basements and shower stalls regularly.

Pollen

• Pollen is a fine dust produced by plants that can spread on the wind. The time of year when pollen is most prevalent, known as the pollen season, varies by species of plant and geographical area. If pollen is a trigger for your asthma, be aware of when high pollen counts are anticipated for your region, and reduce the amount of time you spend in the outdoors. Thunderstorms may also release large amounts of pollen into the air.

Inhaled Irritants

• When an irritant substance is inhaled, such as when applying perfume or cleaning, an asthma attack is often triggered. Common irritants include air pollution, cigarette smoke, cleaning sprays and products, and perfumes.

Medicines

• According to Merck.com, up to 30 percent of older patients have their asthma triggered by aspirin. These patients often have sinus congestion and nasal polyps in addition to their asthmatic symptoms.

  Other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including brufen, voltarol and naposyn, may also trigger asthma, as may beta-blockers, a class of drugs used to treat glaucoma and heart disease.

  Another trigger to be wary of is Tartrazine, a yellow coloring which is not itself a drug but is used to color some drug tablets.

Other Triggers

• Strong emotions or feelings, including anger, anxiety and excitement, can trigger attacks.

  Sulfites, used as a food preservative, may trigger asthma.

  A common trigger for asthma is illness, especially colds and viral infections.

  Sudden temperature changes, cold air, wind, and hot or humid days are all well-known asthma triggers. Wearing a scarf over the nose and mouth during cold weather helps to keep air moist and warm and helps lessen asthma attacks.