Asthma Triggers: Identify and Avoid Your Personal Triggers

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease affecting over 350 million people worldwide. While it cannot currently be cured, excellent control is achievable. Trigger identification and avoidance, combined with appropriate pharmacological management, allows most people with asthma to live fully active lives.

The most common asthma triggers include: respiratory infections (viral upper respiratory tract infections are the most common trigger, especially in children), allergens (house dust mites, cat and dog dander, mold, pollen), air pollutants (tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, wood smoke), exercise (exercise-induced bronchoconstriction affects 40–90% of asthmatics), cold air, strong emotions and stress, certain medications (NSAIDs, beta-blockers, aspirin in aspirin-sensitive asthma), and GERD.

See also: Migraine Triggers and How to Avoid Them

Comorbidities that worsen asthma control and must be treated concurrently include: allergic rhinitis (affects 80% of asthmatics — treat with intranasal corticosteroids), GERD (affects 60–80%), obesity (reduces lung function and increases inflammation), and anxiety/depression.

Every asthmatic should have a written Asthma Action Plan detailing: daily controller medications, early warning signs of worsening, peak flow thresholds for action, reliever medication instructions, and when to seek emergency care. Regular review with a clinician every 3–6 months and annual flu vaccination are standard of care.

See also: Managing Asthma in Adults: Triggers and Control