How Winter Triggers Asthma attack

Asthma is a health condition that leads to narrowing down the airway of lungs. If you or your family members have asthma, then you know how the changing seasons cause asthma. In these seasonal changes, Winter is no Exception. With the temperatures lower than normal, cold influenced asthma can worsen the asthma symptoms. Sometimes these symptoms become more severe can make breathing difficult and also comes wheezing and coughing.

Weather-influenced asthma: the winter link

Asthma causes the airways to narrow down. Asthma attacks may often come by some triggers - which makes asthma worse. They might cough, wheezing, and have some breathing issues. For many people, Cold air is a common trigger.

Winter becomes more problematic for asthma patients because of - 

• Frosty temps: Cold air irritates the airways. That winter icy air causes swelling in the airways which narrows the way of air passage. Cold temperatures also cause the muscles around the airways, it makes it harder to pass air in airways.
• Dry air: In winter, cold air becomes very dry. Inside, the air is hot because of the busy furnace. Like cold air, dry air also causes asthma to worsen.
• Flu season: This winter season also brings many flu and viral infections. It mostly attacks the children. Lot of children experience cold induced asthma as a result of respiratory problems.
• Indoor allergens: In winter, more people spend time inside rather than outside. For more people experience asthma indoors by allergens like pet dangers, dust and smoke.

More ways to treat winter induced asthma

1. Limit exposure - If your kids experience coughing during cold air hits their lungs. Then minimize your time spent outside. you must limit your time outside.
2. Take your meds - It's always important to take asthmatic medications regularly as prescribed. But it's very important in the winter season. Inhale medications daily to reduce inflammation even when you feel good. It's more important to use regularly if you are sensitive to cold.
3. Bundle up - Cover your mouse and nose by using warm scarves and shawls to make the cold air they breathe less cold.
4. Just add water - Use any type of humidifier at bedtime which makes moisture back the winter dry air. Must clean your humidifier regularly, because it becomes a trigger for asthma. Saline nasal sprays also help the dried nasal air passage to keep moisture.
5. Stay well - In winter, all are affected by flu and virus. So keep away from the crowds. Keep the habit of washing your hands frequently to avoid germs.
6. Adjust activities - People with exercise induced asthma can narrow  the airways. Try to limit your time of physical exercising in cold air.
7. Ask for help -  If you feel anxious about asthma as winter blows in. Contact your doctor for help.If you keep touch with us, we can manage the symptoms, you can enjoy the season.

How To Manage Cold air- Induced Asthma

If you want to manage the cold induced asthma, it encounters many factors like both environment and genetics. Here is the few factors to manage -

•  Try Avoiding Allergy-Causing Organisms and Other Triggers

Inhaling pollutant air or scented perfumes or being near triggers can irritate your airways and cause an asthma attack. The main thing is to identify the triggers which cause asthma attacks and avoid them.

• Install a High-Quality Air-Filtration System

Air filtration system clears the air inside your home. And it eliminates the pollutant air  and asthma triggers like smoke, dust, dirt, and mites and others. Air filtrations can clean up to 99.97% allergens. So, you must consider installing one at home to keep away from allergens.

• Get a Humidifier

Humidifiers are especially designed to increase the level of moisture in air by discharging vapor. For many asthmatic patients, high moisture in air can help to ease the asthma symptoms. You must make sure to use a humidifier carefully or else it will worsen the symptoms due to high moisture. The standard range of humidity should be 30% to 45%.

Preventive Medications

There are two categories of asthmatic medications  such as for long run and regular and for fast instant relief drugs. Asthma medications are available in forms of 

• Tablets
• Inhalers
• Shots
• Liquid

Other Medications includes-

Inhaled corticosteroids-

This medicine helps in fighting against inflammation. This medicines are vital     important for asthma medications, here comes some long term side effects-

•     Leukotriene modifiers.
•     Beta-agonists or bronchodilators.

 Get An Asthma Action Plan

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other asthma experts, It is important to work with your healthcare provider and get a better asthma action plan. These action plans will help you manage asthma properly and effectively. Keep your asthma action plan as a document which contains medications you take daily, emergency pills, your symptoms and how you control them.

 Lung Function Test

It is essential to go with a lung function test to understand whether your medications are working properly or not. For this test, you can check with a device called peak flow meter. This device will help you to monitor the flow of air from your lungs. Using this device you can find out the airblock even before you experience any signs and symptoms. Using this device, you can compare the results at different intervals.

Conclusion

If you have asthma, keep an asthma action plan handy within easy reach and stick with it. Also cold weather induced asthma, so take necessary precautions and medications on time.