WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ASTHMA AND AIR POLLUTION
Christiane Tourtet B.A.
June 01, 2011
When the air is polluted and you or another person has asthma, have you ever noticed,
that symptoms get much worse ? Indeed, air pollution can make it much more difficult to breathe. It can also cause other symptoms, like wheezing, coughing, burning feeling in the lungs, chest discomfort. There are two key air pollutants that can affect asthma. One is ozone, which is found in smog, and the other, is particle pollution, which is found in dust, haze and smoke. Adults and children with asthma are more likely to have symptoms when particle pollution and ozone are in the air. However there are steps that you can take in order to protect your health from air pollution. Try to find out, how sensitive you are to air pollution by using the following steps.
Do you take notice of your asthma symptoms when you are physically active, and when the air is more polluted, do they happen more often? If, yes, then you may be sensitive to air pollution. Also, have you noticed asthma symptoms that begin up to a day after you have been exposed to outdoors air pollution? When the air is quite polluted you can become more sensitive to known asthma triggers such as dust mites and mold. Keep in mind that if you are more sensitive than usual to asthma triggers indoor, then it could very well be due to air pollution outdoors.
Be knowledgeable of where and when air pollution may be bad. On hot summer days, especially in the afternoons and early evenings ozone is quite often worse. Anytime of the year particle pollution can be bad especially when the weather is calm, thus allowing a build-up of air pollution, even in winter. Also, particle levels can be quite high, around factories, near busy roads, during rush hour, when there is smoke in the air from burning vegetation, fireplaces, wood stoves.
Try to plan activities where and when pollution levels are lower. In order to stay healthy regular exercise is very important especially for people with asthma. You can lead a healthy lifestyle and help reduce your asthma symptoms when the air is polluted by trying to adjust where and when you exercise. For instance, in summer, you can plan your most vigorous activities for the morning, and try to exercise while staying away from industrial areas or busy roads. When ozone levels are high such as on smoggy, hot days, then you should try to exercise indoors.
When the air is polluted, try to change your activity level, by taking it easier if you are active outdoors, as this will reduce how much pollution you are breathing. Even if you are unable to change your schedule, you may be able to change your activity so it is less intense, such as going for a walk instead of jogging, or spend less time on the activity, for example, jogging 20 minutes instead of 30. Pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. When the air is polluted and you get asthma, then, stop that activity. Try to find a less intense activity.
Always have on hand your quick-relief medicine when you are active outdoors, so you can be prepared if you do have symptoms, especially if you are starting an activity that is new and more intense that you are used to. It is very important to consult your health care provider if you have asthma symptoms when the air is polluted. You should also discuss with your health care provider, if you will be exercising more than usual, whether you should use medicine before the start of outdoors activities, and if you should follow an asthma action plan if you have symptoms during a certain type of activity.
It is also very important to get up-to-date information about your local air quality, as sometimes you can tell that the air is quite polluted , such as, for example, on hazy, smoggy day, but often you can´t. So it is best, to find air quality forecasts, reports on local radio and TV, which are available in many areas. These reports use a simple color scale, Air Quality Index (AQI) to let you know how polluted or clean the air is. You can also find them on the Internet at:
www.epa.gov/airnow.
To help reduce your asthma symptoms you can use the Air Quality Index (AQI) for the planning of your daily activities.
Resources:
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
© 2011 Christiane Tourtet .
that symptoms get much worse ? Indeed, air pollution can make it much more difficult to breathe. It can also cause other symptoms, like wheezing, coughing, burning feeling in the lungs, chest discomfort. There are two key air pollutants that can affect asthma. One is ozone, which is found in smog, and the other, is particle pollution, which is found in dust, haze and smoke. Adults and children with asthma are more likely to have symptoms when particle pollution and ozone are in the air. However there are steps that you can take in order to protect your health from air pollution. Try to find out, how sensitive you are to air pollution by using the following steps.
Do you take notice of your asthma symptoms when you are physically active, and when the air is more polluted, do they happen more often? If, yes, then you may be sensitive to air pollution. Also, have you noticed asthma symptoms that begin up to a day after you have been exposed to outdoors air pollution? When the air is quite polluted you can become more sensitive to known asthma triggers such as dust mites and mold. Keep in mind that if you are more sensitive than usual to asthma triggers indoor, then it could very well be due to air pollution outdoors.
Be knowledgeable of where and when air pollution may be bad. On hot summer days, especially in the afternoons and early evenings ozone is quite often worse. Anytime of the year particle pollution can be bad especially when the weather is calm, thus allowing a build-up of air pollution, even in winter. Also, particle levels can be quite high, around factories, near busy roads, during rush hour, when there is smoke in the air from burning vegetation, fireplaces, wood stoves.
Try to plan activities where and when pollution levels are lower. In order to stay healthy regular exercise is very important especially for people with asthma. You can lead a healthy lifestyle and help reduce your asthma symptoms when the air is polluted by trying to adjust where and when you exercise. For instance, in summer, you can plan your most vigorous activities for the morning, and try to exercise while staying away from industrial areas or busy roads. When ozone levels are high such as on smoggy, hot days, then you should try to exercise indoors.
When the air is polluted, try to change your activity level, by taking it easier if you are active outdoors, as this will reduce how much pollution you are breathing. Even if you are unable to change your schedule, you may be able to change your activity so it is less intense, such as going for a walk instead of jogging, or spend less time on the activity, for example, jogging 20 minutes instead of 30. Pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. When the air is polluted and you get asthma, then, stop that activity. Try to find a less intense activity.
Always have on hand your quick-relief medicine when you are active outdoors, so you can be prepared if you do have symptoms, especially if you are starting an activity that is new and more intense that you are used to. It is very important to consult your health care provider if you have asthma symptoms when the air is polluted. You should also discuss with your health care provider, if you will be exercising more than usual, whether you should use medicine before the start of outdoors activities, and if you should follow an asthma action plan if you have symptoms during a certain type of activity.
It is also very important to get up-to-date information about your local air quality, as sometimes you can tell that the air is quite polluted , such as, for example, on hazy, smoggy day, but often you can´t. So it is best, to find air quality forecasts, reports on local radio and TV, which are available in many areas. These reports use a simple color scale, Air Quality Index (AQI) to let you know how polluted or clean the air is. You can also find them on the Internet at:
www.epa.gov/airnow.
To help reduce your asthma symptoms you can use the Air Quality Index (AQI) for the planning of your daily activities.
Resources:
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
© 2011 Christiane Tourtet .
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