Trigger avoidance
While the best way of avoiding the effects of an asthma trigger is to avoid the trigger itself, complete avoidance is often impossible (e.g. pollen can be a trigger and staying in during the entire pollen season is not a practical solution).
However, while it may not be possible to completely eliminate asthma triggers, you should still try to remove as many as possible from home and work surroundings. This may mean not having pets, reducing exposure to house dust mite allergy by not having carpeted floors, damp dusting furniture, and using lower allergy bedding.
For patients whose asthma is triggered by pollen, useful trigger reduction might include:
- Wearing sun glasses
- Staying in during the early evening
- Fitting pollen filters in the car
- Tumble drying clothes during the pollen season rather than allowing them to dry in the fresh air.
Smoking (first-hand and passive) is a clear asthma trigger. While non-smoking asthma patients should try to avoid being in smoke-filled atmospheres, smokers should focus on trying to quit. Not only will smoking make their asthma worse, but it will also reduce the effectiveness of asthma medications.
However, remember that avoiding triggers alone will not allow lead to full asthma control. Trigger avoidance is a useful addition, not replacement, to regular asthma therapy.