What brings on an asthma attack and what makes it worse? Certain triggers are nice, while others are not so nice. One of the most important – but most underestimated – triggers is cold air.
Pleasant
• Exercise
• Perfume
• Pollen
• Barbeque smoke
• Cats
• Dogs
• A good laugh
• Excitement
• Sleep
Unpleasant
• Cigarette smoke
• Cold or dry air
• Dust mites
• Chemicals
• Feathers
• Fungal spores
• Cockroach droppings
• Anxiety or distress
• Carpet cleaning solutions containing formalin
• Welding and soldering
• Insect repellents
Other triggers
• Illness and medication
• Aspirin and other painkillers
• Glaucoma eye drops
• Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
• Betablocker blood pressure medications
• Hormonal changes (such as menstruation and pregnancy)
• Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
Some occupations expose the lungs of workers to dangerous substances over long periods and can lead to job-related asthma. People who work with wood, grain, flour, tobacco and chemicals such as formalin can also develop asthma. Gases released during welding and soldering can also trigger an acute attack.