What should asthma patients pay attention to in their home life?

Author: Huang Kewu, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Zhou Xin, Chief Physician/Professor, First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Most of a person's life is spent at home. For asthma patients, whether they can control asthma symptoms well and reduce acute asthma attacks as much as possible, in addition to receiving standardized treatment under the guidance of a doctor, maintaining a good home environment and healthy eating habits and exercise methods are also crucial.

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What should asthma patients pay attention to in their home environment?

Mites in the indoor environment, pollen from indoor green plants and indoor pollution can all trigger asthma attacks or make asthma difficult to control. Therefore, these risk factors should be minimized in daily home life.

1. Reduce the breeding of mites Dust mites are the main culprit for allergies in indoor environments. Dust mites are only about 0.3 mm in size and cannot be seen by the naked eye. Many children now suffer from asthma, and excessive contact with plush toys may be one of the reasons, because in children's rooms, the most susceptible to dust mites are some plush toys. Other fur products or soft items, such as carpets, curtains, duvets, silk quilts, and bedding and cushions made of animal fur are also places where mites like to breed. Therefore, in daily life, you must clean regularly and try not to use items that can absorb dust mites; regularly iron and dry quilt covers, pillowcases and other items; bedding should be exposed to the sun frequently; it is best to use cement or wooden floors for easy scrubbing, and do not use carpets; children with asthma should avoid contact with toys made of woolen cloth or animal fur.

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2. Avoid the production of allergenic proteins indoors. Fungal spores are one of the common allergens. Avoid dampness and darkness indoors to reduce the growth of mold. Avoid planting flowering plants indoors. Do not keep pets indoors, because pets' fur, dander, secretions and excrement may act as allergens and cause asthma attacks. The excrement of some insects (mainly cockroaches) can also cause asthma attacks. Therefore, indoor pests should be killed regularly.

3. Reduce indoor gas pollution. Most indoor dust is allergenic and may cause asthma attacks. Therefore, dust should be removed regularly. It is recommended to use wet cleaning or a vacuum cleaner when cleaning. When cleaning the room or there is smoke in the room, windows should be opened for ventilation. In pollen season, foggy, dusty or heavily polluted weather, try not to open windows for ventilation. If necessary, use indoor air purification devices to maintain clean indoor air. Do not use various spray insecticides, and avoid using camphor, perfume, cosmetics with strong odors. Do not smoke indoors to reduce gas and oil fume pollution.

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4. Do not over-decorate the interior. Decorative materials contain a large amount of chemical substances that can induce allergic rhinitis or asthma attacks. Therefore, after the new house is decorated, various indicators need to be tested and only those that pass the test can be moved in.

What should asthma patients pay attention to in their diet?

About 20% of adults and 50% of children worldwide may have asthma triggered or aggravated by improper diet. Common allergenic foods include seafood such as fish, shrimp, crab, and foods containing foreign proteins, such as milk, eggs, young cicadas, grasshoppers, silkworm pupae, etc. If the patient is confirmed to be allergic to any of these foods, he or she should avoid eating them. In addition, it is recommended that asthma patients eat more fresh vegetables and seasonal fruits rich in vitamin C; avoid irritating foods or drinks, such as peppers, peppers, onions, fennel, mustard, curry powder, coffee, strong tea, strong liquor, etc.; many food additives (such as nitrites and tartrazine added to orange juice and soda, etc.) may also trigger asthma attacks in some patients and should be treated with caution.

Which medicines may trigger an asthma attack?

While treating diseases, drugs may also cause adverse reactions. Among them, the most common drugs that can cause acute attacks in some asthma patients are antipyretic analgesics, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Therefore, asthma patients who also suffer from chronic rhinitis, nasal polyps or sinusitis should be particularly vigilant. When these asthma patients visit the doctor due to colds, fever, pain, etc., they should actively mention their asthma history and previous medication to the doctor. Other drugs that may cause asthma attacks include antihypertensive drugs, beta-blockers, antibiotics, certain biological agents, iodine-containing contrast agents and local anesthetics.

How can people with asthma exercise?

Most asthma patients are reluctant to exercise, perhaps because they are worried about catching a cold or catching a cold, or because exercise may trigger an asthma attack. They are in a state of psychological tension and therefore have concerns about physical exercise. In fact, exercise is an important part of comprehensive asthma treatment. If asthma symptoms are well controlled, patients can do appropriate physical exercise and even compete for gold and silver in competitive arenas (such as the Olympics). In order for asthma patients to achieve the desired purpose and effect through physical exercise, the following aspects should be noted.

• Before exercising, especially before engaging in more intense exercise, it is necessary to do warm-up activities for about 10 minutes, such as walking, jogging, etc. After strenuous exercise, you should also do light activities for another 10 to 15 minutes, such as walking and stretching joint muscles. Do not stop exercising suddenly.

•After physical exercise, the increase in ventilation volume can aggravate the loss of airway water and heat, leading to airway spasm, which is particularly severe in cold and dry places. Therefore, asthma patients should avoid exercising in cold and dry places, including ice and snow sports.

• Considering the characteristics of asthma patients, they should choose some relaxing and casual sports, such as jogging, cycling, Tai Chi, swimming, etc., and avoid highly competitive sports, such as tennis, basketball, etc. It is best to participate in group sports. On the one hand, group sports are more entertaining, and on the other hand, if there is any discomfort during exercise, there will be someone to take care of you.

• Asthma patients should avoid outdoor exercise when air pollution is severe, and avoid exercising near congested roads. If you are allergic to pollen, you should also avoid exercising outdoors during the pollen season.

• For patients with exercise-induced asthma, they can prevent asthma attacks by inhaling anti-asthma drugs before exercise and then exercise 5 to 10 minutes later. This can avoid most exercise-induced asthma attacks. If you experience chest tightness, shortness of breath and other airway spasm symptoms during exercise, you should stop exercising immediately and inhale asthma relief drugs, such as salbutamol or formoterol. If the symptoms are not relieved after 15 to 20 minutes, you should go to the hospital for treatment immediately.

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In short, having asthma is not terrible. If patients master some basic health knowledge about asthma, including basic skills for managing asthma at home, and carry out regular anti-asthma treatment under the guidance of a doctor, the vast majority of asthma patients can breathe freely and live a normal life like healthy people.