QUALITY LIVING - Q&A to Asthma at Home   Home | Asthma Assistant | Glossary | Disclaimer   Is it Asthma | Society & Self | Take Control | Treatment or Cure | Quality Living

If you have asthma, is it better to live in the country or the city? There is no clear answer to this! Studies have found that people in the country have asthma which is no better or worse than people who live in the city. It really depends on what triggers your symptoms. Most people are affected by a number of triggers. You can find out more about this in the section Getting to Know Your Triggers. Although pollutants are generally higher in and around cities, in the country there can be high levels of other triggers such as pollen. If you move home to avoid one set of triggers, you could well end up finding you live with a whole new set! In addition, a large amount of our time is spent indoors. It is therefore important to look at those things in your indoor environment which can make your asthma worse. This includes not only your home, but place of work or school as well. Why can modern housing make asthma worse? Asthma symptoms can be triggered by the comfortable and energy efficient houses of the 20th century. Double glazing, central heating and insulation protect us from the weather but also seal us in. This means that indoor pollutants such as smoke from open fires and cigarettes, and fumes from cooking can remain trapped in the house for longer. Carpets and other soft furnishings have taken the place of wooden and stone floors and furniture. These provide the ideal environment for the house dust mite and a collection of other allergens such as animal hair and dander which can all trigger asthma symptoms. How can I make my home more asthma friendly? There are a number of things you can do to make your home more asthma friendly. The precautions you take may, in part, depend on your personal asthma triggers. Some ideas to make your home more asthma friendly include the following:   Pets Do not get any furry or feathered pets. If you already have them, try to keep them out of rooms such as the lounge and particularly the bedroom. Wash you hands after touching your pet. Bath cats/dogs once a week.   Linen If house dust-mite triggers your asthma, wash bed linen including pillows at 60 degrees at least once a week. You can also invest in some barrier covers. Make sure to air your mattress once a month.   Ventilation Keep windows open to air the house and improve ventilation as much as possible. This will reduce the build up of indoor pollutants such as smoke and cooking fumes. However, if your asthma is triggered by pollen, beware the times of the day when the pollen count is particularly high and close the windows!   Furnishings If you are looking at sofas and armchairs, leather, wicker or iron are better as they harbour less house dust mite and pet allergens. Washing their covers frequently also helps. Be cautious of made-made fibres and latex if your are allergic to them.   Smoking Do not let people smoke in your home! The harmful substances in smoke are numerous and include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, exactly the same as industrial pollutants. Smoking in one room of the house with the door closed is of little use; the smoke seeps into other areas of the house under and around the doors.   Open Fires If you have an open coal or wood fire, ensure the flue is adequate. Coal and wood produce smoke containing particles and substances which can trigger asthma.   Cleaning Products It is best to use solid or liquid cleaning products rather than sprays where possible. Many sprays contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which may trigger asthma symptoms.   Drying Clothes Do not dry clothes in the house on or near radiators. This will build up damp in the house. If possible, dry them outside or use a tumble dryer ensuring it is well vented to the outside.   Cooking When you are cooking, open the windows. Always use an extractor fan if you have one. This will ensure the fumes and damp pass outside. Gas cookers are a source of nitrogen dioxide which can trigger asthma.   Decorating If you are decorating at home, be careful of wet paints which give off chemicals. There is no one type of paint which can be guaranteed safe for everyone with asthma. Try to use water based paints rather than gloss paints as the fumes from gloss paints can last longer.   Flooring Wooden flooring has a big advantage over carpets. Carpets collect many allergens such as dust, animal hair and dander and provide a good environment for the house dust mite. Wooden, tiled or vinyl floors are a better alternative. If not, try to vacuum your carpets regularly with a good high filter vacuum cleaner.

Topic "Quality Living" Updated 14th August 2003

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