About 23 million people, including 6.8 million children, have been diagnosed with asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma can be controlled by learning to manage or avoid things that trigger an attack.
Asthma can be triggered by indoor and outdoor environmental factors. Common asthma triggers are tobacco smoke, dust mites, cockroaches and pets.
Tobacco smoke is one of the easiest asthma triggers to control. Simply reduce your exposure and make sure no one smokes in your home or vehicle.
To discourage dust mites, keep the indoor humidity below 60 percent. Control your exposure to dust mites by covering mattresses and pillows with dust-proof covers and washing blankets and sheets weekly in hot soapy water. This will kill dust mites and their eggs.
To further remove dust mites, vacuum your carpet and upholstered furniture weekly with a high-performance vacuum.
Research shows that cockroaches and their droppings can also lead to the development of asthma. So stop feeding them. Don’t drop snacks in the sofa, and don’t leave food in bedrooms or on the kitchen counter. Also remove pet food at night.
Every two to three days, vacuum or sweep areas that may attract cockroaches. Rather than spraying pesticides inside, use roach traps or gel baits to control cockroaches.
Furry pets, like cats and dogs, also can trigger asthma attacks. Keep pets off beds and carpeted areas and bathe them weekly.
