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Common Asthma Triggers

Asthma has many triggers, and sufferers must learn to identify those triggers in order to manage their asthma. Asthma sufferers encounter common environmental triggers every day that can range from friends and family to their bedroom or bathroom. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that Americans stay inside 90 percent of the time, so knowing which triggers they might encounter will help them manage their asthma.

  1. Smoke

    • Both firsthand and secondhand smoke can be a common asthma trigger. Even residual smoke left by smoking in the car or in the house can trigger asthma symptoms. Asthma sufferers should take care to avoid any location where they might encounter secondhand smoke, such as restaurants, bars, and the homes and cars of friends and family who smoke.

    Cockroaches

    • A cockroach infestation can trigger asthma problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), both cockroach body parts and droppings can trigger asthma attacks, so asthma sufferers should stay on top of any known cockroach problems in the home. Cleaning up any possible sources of food and water as well as cleaning current remnants of the problem can help reduce the asthma trigger.

    Nitrogen Dioxide

    • Nitrogen dioxide commonly triggers asthma sufferer who use fuel-burning appliances. These appliances include fireplaces, stoves and furnaces. Avoid extensive use of these appliances, or switch to electric sources of energy to avoid triggering asthma.

    Mold

    • Mold is one of the most common asthma triggers. Mold can grow in almost every house and can be one of the unseen asthma triggers, as some mold growth can be hard to find. Take extra precautions to keep the bathroom and kitchen dry and free of mold. Keeping the indoor humidity down can also reduce the levels of mold that trigger asthma.

    Weather

    • Changes in the weather or certain weather events can trigger asthma symptoms. Humidity, temperature extremes and storms can trigger asthma in some sufferers. Weather conditions also can affect the severity of other asthma triggers, such as pollen, dust and pollution.

    Dust

    • Every home, even clean ones, can have dust mites. Dust mites often trigger asthma, because they live in places that asthma sufferers encounter every day, such as pillows and floors. Use covers to protect pillows from dust mites, and wash any fabric surfaces and floors frequently to reduce the problem.

    Stress

    • Stress can trigger asthma symptoms, so an asthma sufferer should have a plan to deal with stressful situations. Stress causes the body to tense up and restrict airflow and often combines with an environmental trigger to cause asthma symptoms.

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