Know what triggers your asthma and you can do a lot to reduce your exposure

Many things can trigger an asthma attack, and they vary from person to person. Asthma triggers fall into two main categories: allergic triggers and non-allergic triggers.

Allergic triggers include:

• pollen
  animal dander
  dust mites
  foods
  mould

Non-allergic triggers include:

• tobacco smoke and smoke from fires
  fumes from perfumes and chemicals
  weather conditions (examples: high humidity, cold air)
  emotional situations (examples: anxiety, stress, crying)
  infections (examples: colds, chest infections)
  certain medications (examples: ASA, some eye drops, some blood pressure pills)
  exercise, if you don't prepare properly before beginning the activity

It would be wonderful if you knew exactly what causes asthma and then avoid the causes, but that isn't usually possible. It would be difficult to avoid all pollen or smoke, and it would be next to impossible to avoid all emotional situations or weather variations.

For example, if grass pollen triggers your asthma, you can stay indoors when the grass is being cut; if perfume is one of your triggers, you can look for unscented products and avoid perfumes and colognes; if cold air causes you problems, you can try skating in an indoor rink.

Another important factor in controlling asthma is to remain physically fit, because exercise helps to improve the respiratory system. However, people with asthma have to be careful to prepare properly before beginning an activity. This may mean adjusting medication, so it is important to discuss your plans with your doctor before beginning an exercise program or participating in a sport.

As long as you can maintain good control of your asthma symptoms, you and your doctor will probably continue with the action plan you developed at the start of your treatment program. However, sometimes the plan needs to be adjusted as the treatment progresses. There are signs you should watch for that will indicate that a treatment change might be necessary.

Be alert to the following symptoms and tell your doctor if:

• your symptoms begin to interfere with your daily activities
• your reliever medicine doesn't provide complete relief or if you have to increase the amount you use to get relief
• peak flow readings drop
• you begin to have difficulty exercising
• you experience shortness of breath when you haven't been exercising
• persistent tightness in your chest or morning wheezing
• awaken more than two nights in a row coughing or wheezing

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