Asthma is a chronic lung disease that leads to inflammation and obstruction in the airways and causes symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Hundreds of thousands of people are killed by this disease worldwide each year and children are particularly at risk. Let's have a brief look at some of the causes of asthma.
Tobacco smoke is one of the environmental causes of asthma and is one of the major reasons for death occurring due to wheezing, respiratory infections, and asthma. Parents, especially mothers, who are smokers are not just damaging their own lungs but also increasing the risk of asthma in their children.
If you are an asthma sufferer, you are most likely an allergy sufferer too. Antibodies in the blood are triggered due to allergic reactions which cause inflammation in the airways and asthma. There are various allergens in the environment that can trigger these allergic reactions.
People spend much of their time indoors and there are various biological allergens present inside the house. These include dust mites which are tiny animals that live in house dust. Dust mites are found in all houses; however, some houses have huge numbers of these insects. Besides cleanliness, the amount of moisture present indoors is a major reason for their presence. They are also found more often in temperate climates and normal altitudes. Dust mites eat the dust from our skin and then leave droppings which contain left-over enzymes used to digest the skin dust. These enzymes are the main triggers of asthma and allergic diseases.
If you have pets in the house, you are constantly exposed to animal dander and hair. Proteins in skin flakes, urine, feces, saliva, and hair of animals, especially cats, are tiny particles that float in the air and land on any body part that can come in contact with your nose and mouth. This protein is the reason why dander is considered to be a potent allergen.
The presence of molds and mildew is also a common cause of an asthma attack. If the air circulation in the house is poor or it is not receiving enough sunlight, growth of molds and mildew is highly likely, especially if there is continuous dampness or wetness in the house. Mold spores tend to float in the air and cause allergic reactions in the residents.
High level of humidity in the indoor air increases the presence of these allergens and increases your risk of getting an asthma attack. The best way to reduce asthma attacks is to reduce your exposure to these indoor irritants. Maintaining good air circulation, allowing sunlight to come into the house, and using products that can help control the high level of moisture in the air is the best solution for this.
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