Asthma and Trigger Avoidance: 4 Surprising Things That May Cause an Asthma Attack

In the United States, about 8 percent of the population has asthma, and that number continues to grow year after year. In addition to battling chronic inflammation, people with asthma are also prone to asthma attacks, spontaneous attacks that make it difficult to breathe. The attacks can be very intense and, in some cases, deadly. While there are many medications that help reduce the frequency of asthma attacks, certain triggers can bring them on. For this reason, you must learn what your triggers are and avoid them at all costs. In addition to tobacco smoke, harsh-smelling chemicals, and intense emotional stress, you may want to think about avoiding these four surprising things that may cause an asthma attack.  

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are scary and emotional for many people. However, those with asthma may have more reason to fear them. According to studies, the risk of having an asthma attack increases immediately following a thunderstorm. This is especially true during times when there is a lot of pollen in the air. It is suspected that the storm stirs up pollen, causing people to inhale a large quantity, which then triggers an asthma attack. 

Heartburn

If you suffer from acid reflux or have occasional heartburn, you have a very good reason to keep it under control. Heartburn can trigger an asthma attack. It is believed that gastrointestinal juices travel up through the esophagus, irritating your airways. This causes them to twitch and close. In other words, this induces an asthma attack. This phenomenon can occur even when you don't feel like you have heartburn. 

Aspririn

Adults who take aspirin to relieve pain may see a spike in their symptoms after taking the medication. It is believed that aspirin triggers the body's inflammatory response. This allergic syndrome may affect as much as 14 percent of those with severe asthma as well as many people with moderate asthma. Other NSAIDs have been linked to the syndrome as well. 

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is not good for your asthma symptoms. Asthma attacks caused by alcohol are generally attributed to the alcohol or the processing ingredients used to make the beverage. Even if you aren't allergic, however, you can see an increase in symptoms after imbibing. 

If you have asthma, you have to be careful to avoid all of things that can trigger an attack. Not everyone has the same triggers, so finding yours will take some detective work. If you notice symptoms, keep a log of what you were doing to narrow down your triggers. Talk to a company such as Allergy Associates to learn more.


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