The airway system called the bronchus ensures that the air taken in during breathing is delivered to the lungs. The airways of asthma patients are more sensitive than normal; they narrow and make breathing difficult with triggering factors such as allergens, cigarette smoke, odors, colds, flu, upper respiratory tract infections. Asthma can be triggered by many environmental factors as well as hereditary factors. Insidious allergy asthma triggers prepare the ground for this condition.
The airways of people with asthma are more sensitive than usual; triggering factors such as allergens, cigarette smoke, pungent odors, colds, flu, upper respiratory tract infections, etc. can narrow and make breathing difficult.
Asthma can be triggered by genetic factors, but also by many environmental factors. Allergic asthma accounts for about 61 percent of people with asthma. Environmental factors include pollen, all kinds of pungent odors, dust, dampness, mold and mildew, which are usually seen in spring. In addition to these, intense stress, polluted air, cigarette smoke and air fresheners also trigger allergic asthma. Allergens can affect the respiratory tract, lungs, skin or eyes. In allergic individuals, the organs and types of allergy change over time.
Allergic asthma can be determined by the patient's complaints, allergy skin test or allergy-specific blood test.
What Triggers Allergic Asthma?
Allergic asthma can be triggered by many allergens. The allergen affects certain chemical structures in the body and can trigger a number of reactions that can lead to narrowing of the airways in the lungs. We can list the triggers that cause allergic asthma as follows;
Pungent odors: Air fresheners can make you sneeze and wheeze, even though you may think they clean the air of unpleasant odors. Many of these products mask odors instead of removing them. Therefore, if you have asthma, you may want to avoid using special fragrances at home and in your car.
Paint: If you are thinking of repainting your home, paints can trigger asthma and allergy attacks. Therefore, you can choose paints that identify paints with low or zero volatile organic compounds and other chemicals.
Fruit: If grass pollen or rags in the air make you feel miserable, you may have something called "oral allergy syndrome". Some fruits can also make you uncomfortable. When this happens, your body mistakes some natural chemicals in things like apples, pears, bananas and peaches for the pollen that causes your allergy. The result can be an itchy mouth and scratchy throat. In some cases, the allergy can become more severe, so consult a specialist if you start tingling after eating some fruit.
Painkillers: For most people with asthma, some painkillers can be a good option to take when a headache or backache hits. However, about 3% to 5% of people with respiratory conditions have "painkiller-sensitive" asthma, which means that taking painkillers can trigger a serious asthma attack.
Spices: Cinnamon, garlic, cumin, cardamom and other spices can liven up any dull dish. But for some people, they can also cause an allergic reaction. Spices are also widely used in cosmetics and can be difficult to avoid, as certain spices may not always appear on product labels. Cinnamon and garlic are two of the more common triggers of allergic reactions. But in general, the hotter the spice, the stronger the reaction.
Wood smoke: Wood smoke is among the triggers of asthma. Fires also produce a lot of irritating particles and gases that can trigger your asthma or allergies. Therefore, you should avoid wood smoke as much as possible.
Dust: House dust, the mite allergen, is present in almost every household. These tiny insects, which do not look harmful, can cause asthma-related shortness of breath and uncomfortable conditions such as intense coughing and sneezing.
Swimming pools: Some people are sensitive to chlorine or have a mild skin reaction, although not a true allergy. Spending too much time in chlorinated pools can increase your chances of developing asthma or related allergies. To avoid problems, you can take a break from the pool when more chlorine is added.
Remodeling: Many of the materials used for home renovations can release volatile organic compounds, including drywall, wood, vinyl floors, paints and wallpaper. You may need to take steps to prevent triggers;
- Hang plastic sheeting to protect the rest of your home's air from the renovated area.
- Ventilate the renovated area after a few weeks.
- Wear protective clothing if it is a DIY project. And if possible, avoid living in the space while renovations are underway.
Live trees: A real, live tree can make the holidays merry and bright, as long as it doesn't trigger your allergies. Live trees come from the great outdoors, where allergens like fertilizer, pollen and mold accumulate on them. Wash the branches of your tree thoroughly with water and let them dry before bringing them inside. Then, take care not to keep it in your home for more than a week. If all else fails, switch to an artificial tree. You just need to make sure it's clean and dust-free when you take it out of storage.
What should be done to prevent asthma attacks?
Asthma attacks can be annoying. To treat asthma attacks where necessary, reliever medicines, usually administered through an inhaler, are used. Their effects are short. It may be necessary to take 2-6 breaths of this medicine. In addition, we can list the things to be done to prevent asthma attacks as follows;
- Avoid foods that trigger asthma attacks
- Precautions should be taken against respiratory allergens
- If there are parts with mold and dampness content, necessary repair measures should be taken.
- People with house dust allergy should keep fewer things at home
- Avoid spending long periods of time outdoors where pollen is high
- Shower and change clothes when coming from outside
- Use glasses to protect the eyes
- Air conditioners must be maintained