Asthma is a lung disease. It causes people to wheeze, cough, be
short of breath, and sometimes even die. People with asthma can
suffer from frequent periods of difficulty breathing called "asthma
attacks." During an attack, the airways swell, the muscles around
them tighten, and the airways produce thick yellow mucous.
Asthma is not contagious, but it does run in families, so if parents
have asthma, their children are more likely to have it, too. Children,
particularly those living in urban areas and crowded or unclean
conditions, are especially at risk for developing asthma. African-American
children living in low-income families tend to have more severe
asthma and are at greater risk of death.
What
causes an attack?
Each
person is different, but many things (called asthma triggers") can
cause asthma attacks. These can be found both outdoors and indoors
and include:
Cold weather
Exercise
Stress
Dust
and dust mites
Cockroaches
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Mold
Pet
dander (skin flakes)
Rodents
Tobacco
smoke
Air
fresheners
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What
can you do?
Because
there is no cure for asthma, it is most important to work on preventing
attacks. There are three major categories of prevention:
Keep a clean home
- Make sure that your home is free of dust, mold, smoke, and
other potential triggers.
- Vacuum
often-HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) filters remove dust
best.
- Keep
foods stored in tightly sealed containers to avoid attracting
cockroaches and rodents by keeping food in tightly sealed containers.
- Clear
crumbs, drips, spills, and dirty dishes immediately.
- Identify
and quickly fix water leaks in your home.
Keep
people with asthma away from dust, dust mites, and smoke
- Use
zippered "allergen resistant" mattress and pillow covers to keep
dust mites out of sleeping spaces.
- Keep
pets outdoors or away from sleeping areas; clear hairs from carpets
and furniture.
- Quit
smoking, or smoke only outside your home and car. Always keep
tobacco smoke away from children.
- Change
bed sheets often.
- Keep
people with asthma out of a room while vacuuming or dusting.
Get
medical advice and follow the doctor's instructions
- Get
medical attention for breathing problems.
- Get
emergency medical care for bad attacks of shortness of breath
or wheezing.
- Take
all prescribed medication, either to prevent attacks or to lessen
the symptoms.
- Find
out what allergies you have so you can avoid these potential asthma
trigger.
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