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Targeting
Asthma Triggers
Excerpt
By
Robert Preidt, HealthScoutNews
(HealthScoutNews) -- Ridding
your home of dust mites, tobacco smoke, pet dander, molds and
other asthma triggers may be a significant way to help asthmatics
breathe a bit easier, say experts.
"It's been estimated that if you could get rid of all the
major triggers ... you could reduce the number of asthma attacks
by about 60 percent," says Dr. Norman Edelman, consultant
for scientific affairs with the American Lung Association.
It's unrealistic to think you can eliminate all the asthma triggers
in your home, Edelman adds, but you can do simple things to drastically
reduce them.
The first thing to do is to determine which of these triggers
actually affect the asthma sufferer in your home, says Dr. Michael
Cabana, assistant professor of pediatrics with the Child Health
Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan Health
System.
"It's important to know what might trigger the asthma before
your send your dog that you've had for five years to the dog pound,"
Cabana says.
There are a number of ways to do that. Make careful observations
at home about possible links between triggers and asthma attacks
and tell your doctor about them, Cabana says. Your doctor will
have screening questions to help you assess these factors.
Your doctor can also check sensitivity to triggers by doing a
medical history and skin testing.
"Cigarette smoke is a big and important trigger. It's my
opinion that nobody should be allowed to smoke in a household
where there's an asthmatic. I think it's important to take a strong
position on that," Edelman says.
Cabana agrees. Even going outside to smoke isn't a safeguard.
Unless you have a special smoking jacket that stays outside or
you smoke naked, you're going to bring the smoke back in on your
clothing and pose a threat to people with asthma.
Pet dander is another potential trigger. If you're certain that
it is a trigger, the best remedy is to find a new home for your
pet. Cabana admits emotional attachment can make that a difficult
decision.
"If you don't want to get rid of the animal, keep the animal
out of the patient's bedroom. And you might want to install filters
on any air ducts that lead to the bedroom," he says.
Then there are dust mites. And there's a good chance you're sleeping
with this particular enemy. Dust mites live on dead skin in your
bedding. The best way to smite the mites is to wash all your bedding,
including pillow cases, once a week in water that's hotter than
130 degrees F.
Speaking of creepy-crawlies, cockroach droppings are another
asthma trigger. It may be difficult to eradicate them, but you
can reduce their presence by keeping a clean kitchen, Cabana says.
You also need to eliminate and prevent indoor molds. Scrub them
off in the bathroom, basement or any other damp locations they
may appear, and install exhaust fans that will expel moist air,
Edelman says.
Some people think air filters or purifying systems remove asthma
triggers. But the American Lung Association warns against using
air purifiers that generate ozone.
"Ozone is an irritant to the airways. The air may smell
fresh and you may think you're doing good, but you're just generating
a respiratory irritant," Edelman says.
As for HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, Edelman
says they can help but only if the HEPA filter is used in a total-house
ventilation system that's running all the time. HEPA filter units
designed for single rooms are much less effective, he says.
What To Do
About 17 million Americans have asthma and almost 5 million of
them are children. Asthma affects 1 in 20 American children and
is the most common chronic childhood disease.
For more about asthma triggers and how to deal with them, visit
the
American Lung Association, the
U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
or the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Reference
Source 101
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
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