Reduce Indoor Allergens, Reduce Asthma Attacks

By: Richard Douglas

Minor adjustments to your everyday routine can yield enormous
results when it comes to preventing asthma attacks. How you ask.
Let's look at just one kind of asthma. Extrinsic, or allergic,
asthma is instigated by environmental triggers. Most childhood
asthma falls in the extrinsic category. It is more frequent in
boys than girls. Asthma is the most common childhood illness,
accounting for 10 million lost school days annually. Asthma
affects 5 million children in the U.S. Common culprits are

- air conditioning

- air pollution, including atmospheric ozone

- animal saliva, urine and dander

- bacteria

- chemicals (particularly hexachlorophene, formalin, ethylene
diamine)

- cockroaches

- cold air

- colds and upper respiratory tract infections

- drugs (especially aspirin, cimetidine, antibiotics, beta
blockers)

- dust mites and their droppings

- exertion (especially if strenuous and in cold air)

- food additives or preservatives (especially tartrazine or
sulfur dioxide)

- fungal spores

- fumes (e.g., paint) As you can see, many of these causes are
found in the home. So how can we do a better job fighting asthma
in our indoor environments?

Here are some tips:

- Dust frequently.

- Vacuum frequently; use a cylinder vacuum instead of an upright
model. Using a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, vacuum
is optimum. These vacuums are equipped with high-spec pre-filter
and filter systems; they are sealed, allergen-free and designed
to remove and trap allergens such as bacteria and mold-filled
dust that normal vacuums can't.

- Clean carpeting and drapes regularly. Carpet is a huge hideout
for asthma allergens, harboring dust mites and pet dander--the
two most common triggers of childhood asthma.

- Replace carpeting with non-fibrous flooring, such as tile or
hardwood, particularly in the bedroom.

- Replace feather pillows and down comforters with those
containing synthetic fibers; use a plastic mattress cover.

- Wash bedding in hot water (130 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill
dust mites and remove allergens. Alternately, you can place
bedding in an airtight container for 48 hours.

- Place stuffed toys in the freezer for 24 hours or in an
airtight container for 48 hours to kill dust mites.

- Wear a scarf over your nose and mouth in cold weather.

- Monitor the pollen count in spring, summer and fall; avoid
open fields when pollen counts are high.

- Always keep your medication with you in case of an attack.
Using an air filter can also help prevent asthma attacks.
Following are some different options:

- Use an HEPA air filter. They feature a minimum particle
removal efficiency of 99.97% for all particles 0.3 microns in
diameter and larger. This size covers most pollen, mold spores,
animal hair and dander, dust mites, bacteria, smoke particles
and dust.

- Use an air purifier. They are classified according to the
technology they utilize to remove different-sized particles from
the air. Certain models use a chemical process, such as
ozonization, to purify the air.

- Install a large room unit air purifier. These air purifiers
utilize strong filters or collecting plates; some large units
use electrostatic precipitation. These purifiers are highly
effective at removing pollutants, particularly smoke and dirt,
from large areas. They are more effective as single room units
than as fixed central air filters.

- Install air filters. The efficiency of different models is
measured by the size of particles they can remove from the air.
They are classified in two categories: central filtration, or
induct, systems and portable units with fan attachments. Central
filtration systems are installed in heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems. Asthmatics should choose a HEPA filter
that can trap very small and very large particles.

- Use a tabletop air purifier. These models are equipped with
small panels of dry, loosely packed, low-density fiber filters
and a high-velocity fan. Although these models are fairly
inexpensive, be sure that the specifications match your
requirements to remove very small particles from the air that
can trigger asthma attacks.

About the author:
Find out more about Asthma and the things we can do to battle
this ailment. Learn more about asthma
treatments here.