Asthma is a long-term condition that can be quite challenging to manage since there’s no cure for it. When you have an asthma attack, your airways become narrow and inflamed, and they fill with mucus. This causes chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, these attacks can be life-threatening. Even when you’re not experiencing symptoms, the disease is still there and can flare up unexpectedly. Knowing what triggers your asthma can help you manage it. Sometimes, it’s as simple as staying away from dust, tobacco smoke, and cockroach droppings.
But what if the air outside is filled with things that trigger asthma?
In recent years, scientists have discovered that air pollution from cars, factories, and power plants is a major cause of asthma attacks. According to the World Health Organization, 2.4 million people die each year due to air pollution-related causes.
So, what exactly is air pollution, and how does it trigger asthma?
Air pollution occurs when harmful chemicals, particles, and biological materials are released into the atmosphere. These pollutants can cause health problems or even death for humans and other living organisms.
Key air pollutants that trigger asthma include:
1. **Ground-level ozone**: Found mainly in large cities with heavy traffic, this toxic part of smog worsens existing asthma and may even cause asthma in children. Ozone forms at ground level when pollution from vehicles reacts with oxygen and sunlight.
2. **Sulfur dioxide (SO2)**: This respiratory irritant can trigger asthma attacks and is produced when coal and oil are burnt. Coal-fired power plants, especially older ones without SO2 pollution controls, are the main culprits.
3. **Particulate matter**: This includes various pollutants such as dust, soot, fly ash, diesel exhaust particles, and smoke. These fine particles can lodge in the lungs, triggering asthma attacks. Major sources include coal-fired power plants, factories, and diesel vehicles.
4. **Nitrogen oxides (NOx)**: Emitted from vehicle exhausts and power plants, nitrogen oxides contribute to ozone and smog formation and can create tiny particles that make breathing difficult, particularly for asthma sufferers.
Managing Asthma
If you have asthma, your doctor can help you develop a plan to manage and prevent attacks. Reducing your exposure to air pollution is often part of that plan.
One helpful medication is Seretide, which helps prevent asthma attacks. It contains two drugs: fluticasone, a steroid that reduces inflammation, and salmeterol, a long-acting beta-agonist that relaxes the airways. These medicines work together to keep your air passages open, making it easier to breathe.
For Seretide to be effective, you must use it daily. It will only prevent asthma attacks if taken regularly. Continue using Seretide even if you feel your asthma is under control.