In addition to your medications, you need to avoid what are called ASTHMA TRIGGERS. These include allergens, irritants, exercise. GERD, medications, foods and possibly emotional factors.

Allergens include airborne pollens, molds, house dust, dust mites, cockroach droppings and pet dander. Take steps to minimize your exposure to these in your environment. To determine if you are allergic to these or not, you may need allergy testing.

Irritants include air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, wood smoke and chemicals in the air. Occupational exposure to allergens, vapor, dust, gases or fumes, strong odors or spray household cleansers are others to name a few.

Infections such as common colds and sinus infections may trigger asthma. Obvious or hidden sinusitis is being recognized more and more as a trigger for ongoing asthma symptoms. Often patient may not have typical sinusitis symptoms therefore this important trigger may be overlooked. Plain X-ray and a CT scan is the best way to check if an individual has a sinus infection.

Strenuous physic an exercise can be another trigger. Mouth breathing, exercise in cold air or prolonged, strenuous distance running can increase likelihood of exercise induced asthma.

GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition where acidic contents from the stomach regurgitate up in the food pipe. symptoms include heart burn, belching,hoarseness of voice and feeling of postnasal drip. This condition can make asthma worse at night.

Medications which can make asthma worse include beta blockers for hypertension and heart disease. Beta blockers are also used for migraine. Allergy to Aspirin and other non steroidal pain medications can aggravate asthma symptoms in some patients. Emotional factors do not cause asthma but will aggravate asthma already present. Certain foods in children can aggravate asthma these include milk, peanuts, fish, soy, wheat and eggs.

Avoiding what triggers your asthma is not any less important than taking your medications.

If you avoid your triggers you may be able to control your asthma with lot less medicine.

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