Tips For Managing Asthma During The Monsoon Season

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Tips For Managing Asthma During The Monsoon
Season If you are diagnosed with asthma and have
been living with this condition for a while, you
might be aware of how your environment affects
your health. You might have noticed some
external factors that affect your asthma
symptoms, including the weather. Depending on
what season it is, you might have to be extra
careful about different seasonal asthma triggers
and take extra precautions so that your symptoms
dont get worse. For monsoons, the high humidity,
temperature changes, and other environmental
factors can have a negative effect on your
asthma. You might have noticed that you face
shortness of breath more often during the rainy
season. Studies have also shown that there is a
link between storms and asthma, something that
is referred to as thunderstorm asthma. But there
are some precautions you can take during the
monsoons that can help you prevent your asthma
symptoms from getting worse and reduce the
chances of an attack. Here are some tips to
manage your asthma in rainy season Keep your
home clean and mould-free When humidity rises
during the monsoons, two common asthma triggers
become an increased concern indoors - dust mites
and mould spores. While dust mites are usually
not a concern when humidity is below 45 at
temperatures around 20-22C but during monsoons,
the humidity is much greater than that, usually
over 70. At greater levels of humidity, the
number of house dust mites can quickly increase
to about several thousand mites per gram of house
dust. Mould also thrives in this high humidity
environment and can grow in areas that are
typically wet like bathrooms and kitchens. So,
keep your home clean and well-ventilated
especially during the monsoon season. Keep your
windows closed during thunderstorms Thunderstorms
have been linked with an increased risk of asthma
attacks. With a thunderstorm, allergens like
pollen in the air can increase, which can act as
an asthma trigger, worsening your symptoms and
increasing the chances of an asthma attack. So,
try to take shelter indoors during thunderstorms
and close the windows to avoid contact with
potential asthma triggers. Avoid exposure to
allergens and germs Dust, pollutants, and pollen
in the air can act as asthma triggers and even
during the rains, they can pose a problem.
Bacteria and viruses are also more common during
the rains which increases the chances of a
respiratory infection, which can make your asthma
symptoms worse. You can wear a mask when youre
outside and make sure that you wash your hands
frequently to avoid getting sick. Keep pets away
from the bedroom During the monsoons, pets stay
indoors more frequently which can increase your
exposure to pet dander, which is another asthma
trigger. While it may not be possible to keep them
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outdoors, try to keep some distance from them and
keep them away from the bedroom to reduce your
exposure. If you have rugs, consider keeping them
away during the rains as pet dander and dust can
linger there for long periods of time. These are
just a few of the tips that you can follow to
keep your symptoms in check and manage asthma in
rainy season. Along with following these
precautions to avoid seasonal asthma triggers
and taking your medications regularly, you should
also have an asthma action plan ready. An asthma
action plan will include the steps that you need
to take when your asthma symptoms get worse so
you know when you should get in touch with your
doctor or head to an emergency room. If you have
received an asthma diagnosis and dont have an
action plan yet, get in touch with your doctor so
you can have one prepared.