Asthma And Home – Interior

Asthma is known as a chronic lung condition that is characterized by difficulty in breathing. People suffering from asthma have extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. During an asthma attack, the airways become irritated and react by narrowing and constricting, causing increased resistance to airflow, and blocking the flow of the air passages to and from the lungs.

Various factors inside your home can be crucial triggers or causes for the symptoms of asthma and asthma attacks.

House-Dust Mites

A lot of people with asthma are sensitive to the droppings of house-dust mites. These are tiny insects that live in the dust that builds up around the house – in bedding, carpets, soft furnishings and soft toys.

If you know or suspect that house-dust mites trigger your asthma, then you may be able to reduce some symptoms by following all the recommendations shown below:

– Use complete barrier covering systems on your duvet, mattress and pillows.

– Eliminate the use of carpets and replace with hard flooring.

– Vacuum all spaces frequently. Make sure to use a vacuum cleaner that has good suction and a filtered exhaust that does not scatter dust. Damp dust on all areas or use an attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

– Get rid of all soft toys from beds. Place them in a bag in the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours every one to two weeks to kill house-dust mites.

– Hot wash (at 60 degrees C) duvet covers, sheets and pillowcases once a week. Although some persons are allergic to feathers, there is no conclusive evidence to show that synthetic hypo-allergenic pillows are any better.

– Clean your soft furnishings with anti-house–dust–mite chemicals (although these can sometimes cause indications to get worse).

– Use a dehumidifier to dry the air, as this makes it more difficult for the house-dust mites to thrive.

– Request someone else to vacuum while you stay out of the room.

Carpets and Furnishings

Flooring, furniture, and shelving made from chipboard or MDF may trigger asthma symptoms in some people. This is because it contains formaldehyde resin, which gives off a pungent, colourless gas that surely irritates the airways.

Carpets can also be a source of formaldehyde gas which were used and left over from the manufacturing process. If you are purchasing a new carpet, you should ask the shop if they could unroll and air it before you bring it home.

People who have allergies to latex should avoid carpet with a foam underlay.

Some people disclose that their asthma is triggered by the smell of new sofas and soft furnishings. Try airing new furniture before bringing it into the house and keep the windows always open for a few days.

Those allergic to household pets may continue to have symptoms for many months after a cat or dog last lived in the house. This is because pet allergens can linger for a long time on furniture and in carpets and are very hard to remove without resorting to a rigorous cleaning measure, such as steam cleaning. When moving to a new house, it is wise to check whether the previous homeowners had pets.

Heating and cooking

Dampness in the house has been linked with asthma in some people. Studies has also shown that asthma symptoms were harder to control in people with homes without central heating.

There is no type of heating that is perfect for everyone with asthma.

Ducted air heating. No medical research has been carried out on links between this type of asthma and heating. However, expert doctors have seen many patients who they would agree have worse asthma signs due to the ducted air heating. The reason could be that more house-dust mites are breathed as the air is re-circulated. Convectors and fan also move the air and dust around.

Gas cooking and heating. Houses that have gas cookers and gas fires have higher levels of nitrogen dioxide. In some individuals with asthma, nitrogen dioxide may cause other triggers to have slightly more effect on their symptoms. There is no evidence to prove whether gas central heating increases asthma symptoms.

Coal and wood fires

Coal and wood fires without adequate flues can cause mild worsening of breathing problems, compared with central heating.

Decorating, cleaning, building work and repairs

In everyday life, and especially while redecorating, a wide assortment of domestic products and solvents are used around the home, many of which release chemicals that can cause breathing difficulties in some persons with asthma.

These chemicals are generally known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Many household and DIY products such as varnishes, cleaning fluids, glues and paints contain VOCs.

Air fresheners, furniture polish, carpet cleaners and dry-cleaned clothes can all trigger asthma because they contain VOCs.

Use liquid or solid alternatives rather than sprays where possible. Use as little of the product as possible and keep windows open.

Decorating: To date, there has been little medical research on the many chemicals used in decorating or renovating a home.

Wet paint can cause big problems as it gives off chemicals that can trigger asthma symptoms in some people. There is no one type of paint that can be promised as safe for everyone with asthma.

New low-odour, water-based gloss paints are now available that may be slightly better for some individuals with asthma.

These paints are available at most large DIY outlets and manufacturers’ details can be taken by contacting the Paintmakers Association.

Stripping wallpaper can unsettle dust, therefore, wash down wallpaper before starting as this may help to dampen down the dust. Be sure there is plenty of ventilation while working.

Some people prefer to wear a mask during decorating and even during everyday cleaning, but no special masks have been shown in trials to lessen the symptoms.

Building work and repairs

There is a clear link between poor housing conditions and asthma. It is important to ensure that housing problems such as poor ventilation, damp, and inadequate heating are resolved as quickly as possible.

Structural repair or a major renovation can cause a lot of dust and other irritant triggers.

Read how this person cured his asthma the natural way

Problems can also arise when treating a house for dry rot, woodworm and damp.

You can also ask your local council’s environmental health department for recommendation.

Some insulation materials contain formaldehyde and formalin. It is vital that the skin containing the insulation is not cracked, as this can leak fumes into the house. If you are having cavity wall insulation installed, check with the contractor or builder exactly what they intend to use. Micafil is free of these known chemicals.

If you are thinking of any building work within your home, it is worth seeing your doctor or nurse to check if a temporary increase in medicine is needed.

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