Avoid Asthma Attacks with Better Indoor Air Quality

Tens of thousands of people suffer from asthma in the United States, with hundreds of those in Georgia. The instances of this disease are on the rise across the nation and the world. People who suffer from this illness have swollen and inflamed airways and lungs, which react abnormally to irritants. This causes an asthma attack which results in difficulty breathing. While asthma can be effectively treated, in some cases severe attacks can be fatal. Here’s how those with asthma in Atlanta and elsewhere can help control their disease with better indoor air quality.

Indoor Asthma Triggers

The first step in controlling the quality of air in your home is to understand those things that typically trigger asthma attacks. Since we spend over 90 percent of our day indoors, it’s vital to control the quality of air in the home and reduce your exposure to these triggers, which can include:

• Tobacco Smoke
• Nitrogen Dioxide, which is put off by things like space heaters
• Dust and dander
• Chemical fumes and odor
• Certain perfumes, room deodorizers and other scents
• Waste from pests such as mice, cockroaches and the like

Controlling Mold

Mold is one of the worst indoor asthma triggers, and many people are surprised at just how common it is inside homes. There are many different varieties of mold, which tends to flourish in damp, dark areas such as behind bathtubs, in laundry rooms, air conditioning ducts and near water heaters.

Not all molds are toxic, but the spores from them almost universally act as triggers for asthma. Having mold professionally removed from your home is one of the best things you can do to improve your air quality and reduce asthma attacks.

Exhaust and Ventilation

Make sure your home is well ventilated, not to allow fresh air into the home, but to remove heavy, moist air from the premises. Most people with asthma know that allowing outdoor air in can cause problems from pollen and the like. However, it’s important to get the bad stuff out of the home as well.

When you cook in the kitchen, use the exhaust fan over your stove. When you shower, run the fan in the bathroom to vent moisture out of the house. Your clothes dryer should have ductwork allowing it to vent outside of the house. Use a dehumidifier in your basement, as even the best-sealed homes often have moisture leech from the foundation.

Asthma in Atlanta

These tips are just a few of the ways you can help to control your indoor air quality to reduce the potential for asthma attacks in the home. Asthma can be difficult and inconvenient, but following these tips won’t just help you battle the disease, they will help to improve your overall health, wellness and quality of life. Clean air is important to all of us. If you would like to learn more about how you can battle asthma, read about the disease, and give us a call at Atlanta ENT for an appointment today.

Author

Ramie A. Tritt, MD Ramie A. Tritt, MD, FRCSC, specializes in nasal and sinus surgery as well as snoring and sleep apnea surgery at Atlanta ENT, Sinus & Allergy Associates, P.C.’s Sandy Springs location in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Tritt graduated from medical school with honors from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He completed his otolaryngology residency at McGill University and his fellowship in otology and head and neck surgery at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology and a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Tritt is a member of the Medical Association of Georgia and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Tritt has been an instructor at national ENT meetings, a Medical Advisory Board member for computer image-guided sinus surgery, and been recognized by Atlanta Magazine as a “Doctor Who Doctors Go To”.