More than 27 million people in the U.S. have asthma , a chronic disease that causes inflammation and swelling of the airways. Having asthma can make it hard to breathe at times and can include wheezing, coughing and chest tightness. But when managed correctly, asthma can be controlled. Olympic athletes such as sprinter Noah Lyles and swimmer Mark Spitz both have asthma and it hasn’t stopped them from being among the best athletes in the world.
What’s the key to preventing asthma from getting in the way of living your best life? Pulmonologists are in agreement that there’s one lifestyle change that anyone with asthma should make to decrease their symptoms.
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What Causes Asthma?
“Asthma is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system can cause inflammation that leads to reactive airways and increased mucus production which can lead to common symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing or dry cough,” says Dr. Denitza P. Blagev, MD , a pulmonologist and critical care medicine physician at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City and the Chief Medical Officer of Intermountain Riverton Hospital.
Dr. Brenda Juan, MD, an Assistant Professor at the USF Morsani College of Medicine and Medical Director of Respiratory Care Services at Tampa General Hospital, says that asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors . She explains that having a family history of asthma, exposure to allergens (such as pollen, dust mites, mold and pet dander), irritants (including tobacco smoke, pollution and chemical fumes) and having a viral respiratory infection early in childhood can all contribute to asthma.
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Certain conditions can lead to an asthma attack , which is when an asthma trigger causes the lungs to become inflamed and swollen. Dr. Juan says that exercise (especially when it’s cold out), feeling stressed or anxious, changes in weather and certain medications (like aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can all cause asthma attacks for some people. “Different people may have different triggers for their asthma, but what all triggers have in common is that they lead to airway constriction and the symptoms of asthma such as shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing,” adds Dr. Blagev.
The #1 Lifestyle Change That Can Improve Asthma Symptoms
Dr. Juan and Dr. Blagev say there is a lot people with asthma can do to improve their symptoms. But there's one change they recommend everyone make: Avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke. “This includes both active smoking and secondhand smoke,” Dr. Juan says. She explains that tobacco smoke is a powerful irritant that can cause inflammation and the airways to become more narrow. This makes asthma symptoms worse and makes asthma attacks more frequent. She adds that avoiding tobacco smoke can help improve overall lung function and respiratory health, making it easier to breathe and reducing the likelihood of complications.
“By eliminating exposure to tobacco smoke, individuals with asthma can experience fewer asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath,” Dr. Juan says, adding that asthma medication tends to be more effective when tobacco smoke is avoided. “Exposure to cigarette or other smoke and air pollution is particularly harmful because it both triggers or exacerbates asthma and it increases the risk of developing asthma,” Dr. Blagev says, driving home the importance of avoiding smoke.
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In addition to avoiding tobacco smoke, Dr. Blagev says it’s important to know your individual triggers and avoid them as much as possible. For example, if dust exacerbates your symptoms, it’s important to vacuum and clean regularly. If pollen makes your symptoms worse, keep your windows closed during high-pollen seasons and change your clothes after spending time outside. The one trigger Dr. Blagev says not to avoid is exercise. Instead of avoiding exercise, she says to use asthma medication (an inhaler that helps reduce airway inflammation) when you do it, if needed.
If you are avoiding asthma triggers and your symptoms aren’t getting better, talk to your doctor. “In addition to inhalers, for more severe cases of asthma, there is a new generation of medications that target inflammation in the immune system and have been important in transforming the quality of life for patients with severe asthma,” Dr. Blagev says. “Although asthma cannot be ‘cured’ it can be managed and people should not feel limited by their asthma in their lives except in rare cases.”
Remember, having asthma doesn’t have to hold you back. It just requires being more mindful of your environment and doing your best to live a healthy lifestyle—which absolutely includes minimizing exposure to tobacco smoke as much as possible. You can control your asthma more than it can control you!
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Sources
- Dr. Denitza P. Blagev, MD , pulmonologist and critical care medicine physician at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City and the Chief Medical Officer of Intermountain Riverton Hospital
- Dr. Brenda Juan, MD , Assistant Professor at the USF Morsani College of Medicine and Medical Director of Respiratory Care Services at Tampa General Hospital
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