If you have asthma, you probably know the feeling all too well: You're doing fine—and then you encounter something that sets off your symptoms. Suddenly, you're wheezing, short of breath, and reaching for your asthma inhaler. Different people react to different asthma triggers. Below are several common triggers along with practical tips for reducing your exposure to them.
When you have allergies, the same substances that cause your allergy attacks may set off asthma symptoms as well. Examples of allergic triggers include:
Other things that may irritate your airways and trigger your asthma include:
Unfortunately, you can't completely avoid every trigger. So, you should know what to do if your asthma symptoms start flaring up. For quick relief, your doctor may advise you to use an asthma rescue inhaler or another breathing treatment, such as a nebulizer. (Inhalers are small devices used to breathe medication straight into your lungs. Nebulizers are machines used to inhale medication in mist form.)
Ask your doctor for a written asthma action plan. It should outline the steps in your asthma treatment that help keep your symptoms from getting worse. That includes both knowing your triggers and taking any asthma medication you may need. Double-teaming asthma is the best way to guard against flare-ups.