Respiratory Conditions Take Place All Year
If you are expecting to receive relief from your asthma at some point in the year, you may be disappointed. Asthma and breathlessness can be triggered in any month depending on the air quality and seasonal conditions.
If you are experiencing wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing at any time in the year, you are not alone. Millions of people around the world suffer from seasonal asthma attacks. These symptoms remain relatively the same no matter the trigger or season of the year.
If you think you are suffering more than usual, you need to talk to your lung consultant in London and review your asthma action plan. Keep reading to find out more about seasonal breathlessness and when to see your respiratory consultant.
Seasonal Breathlessness Causes
Unfortunately for asthma sufferers, there is not a season where they can find relief from asthma attacks or their triggers. Each season has its own set of triggers that irritate the airways and cause swelling that makes breathing difficult.
1. Spring- Pollen
One of the more severe asthma triggers due to blooming flowers, grass, and other plants. While those flowers and plants are beautiful to look at, the amount of pollen dispersed into the air makes it hard for asthma sufferers to avoid.
2. Summer- Thunderstorms & Pollution
Thunderstorms often break down allergens to minute sizes. These tiny sizes allow the allergens to avoid the body’s defences that block the allergens’ path to your airways.
Then if you breathe in enough polluted air, the allergens in the bad air will irritate your airways causing them to swell and trigger an asthma attack. If your region suffers from high humidity or a heatwave, the hot moist air can also trigger an attack.
3. Fall- Drying leaves, Mould, Cold & Flu Season
This is a tricky season as those drying leaves create an environment for mould to grow. When the mould grows, more spores are released into the air often reaching unsuspecting asthma sufferers.
With Fall comes drier and cooler air that often infects people with a cold or the flu. These respiratory illnesses often make asthma symptoms much worse.
4. Winter- Cold air, Histamine, & More Mucus
Cold air is the main source of breathlessness in the winter season. It dries out the airways irritating them and triggering an attack. However, it can also cause those airways to produce more histamine which can create wheezing, a symptom of asthma.
Of course, the cold temperatures and air can induce the body to create more mucus. Unfortunately, this mucus is stickier and thicker than normal and triggers an asthma attack.
Other breathlessness triggers in winter include household heating, chest infections, dust, mould, & dampness.
How To Manage Asthma Through The Year
There are simple and inexpensive methods you can use to help you navigate the different seasons and avoid breathlessness when arriving at the wrong time. For more details about the following options, talk to your respiratory consultant.
1. Spring & Summer
The best defence is always avoidance. If you can, keep your windows and doors shut when you are inside your home. This move will block the pollen and other triggers from entering your home and lowering the air quality.
Also, as an added defence, use air purifiers to maintain proper air quality in every room. Then make sure you stay up-to-date on the ambient pollen and air quality forecasts. Don’t forget to adhere to the medical advice and medication prescribed by your London respiratory consultant.
2. Fall & Winter
One of the best ways to defeat dry air inside your home is to employ a humidifier. These appliances will ensure you are breathing moist air at proper healthy levels.
In addition to that, get a flu vaccination to help you avoid an asthma attack triggered by that illness. If you go outside, make sure to wrap a scarf around your face or wear a mask to protect your airways and keep them from drying out.
When To Contact Your Lung Consultant London
Under normal conditions, you should contact your respiratory consultant on a regular basis. Keep taking your medications and have regular appointments scheduled in your asthma action plan.
However, there are times when emergencies arise, and seeing your respiratory consultant immediately is the best course of action. Sometimes, going straight to the hospital is the best decision.
1. When to see your lung consultant in London
When you feel weak, dizzy, or faint, you cannot do normal chores like cooking, cleaning, or taking out the trash. These are times you need to get to your respiratory consultant right away. Also if a cough won’t go away or your wheezing is out of control, those are times you need to get help immediately.
2. When to go directly to the hospital
If your lips or nails are turning blue or walking and talking normally is a difficult action. Plus, if you breathe more than 30+ times in a minute you need to get to urgent care right away.
When You Suffer From Respiratory Conditions
It is best to schedule an appointment with our office. We are one of London’s respiratory consultants that care about what is best for you. Asthma and breathlessness are not ailments to take lightly. We can help create or modify your asthma action plan as well as prescribe the best medicine for you.