What Effects Does Pollution Have On Asthma Sufferers?

[damon harvey]

Pollution is one factor that has become increasingly common in
exacerbating asthma symptoms among sufferers. Other factors include
our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, our lack of exposure to dirt
and germs so that we don't build up immunities, and the like. As with
the other factors, pollution can and should be controlled, to ease
symptoms. Although steps are being taken to control pollution, there's
still much present in the form of car exhaust, contamination from
chemical plants, and cigarette smoke, plus a myriad of other sources.
Children are perhaps most at risk for developing asthma because of
exposure to pollution. This is because of their relatively small size
when compared to adults. Their lungs are smaller, as are they, so that
the pollution affects them more. In other words, they are exposed to
the same density of pollution as adults are, but they receive a much
greater concentration of it, because they are proportionately smaller
than adults. Therefore, if children live in a house where smoking
takes place and/or they live in an area that is smog filled, their
health problems as a result of this pollution exposure will be much
greater than those of the adults around them.
In addition, those who already have asthma may see symptoms getting
worse than they used to be. More sufferers are needing visits to the
emergency room, whereas previously, they may have simply been able to
treat symptoms at home.
Simply put, pollution is an asthma trigger that can and should be
reduced. Of course, we as citizens should write our public officials
and make sure they keep controls in place to reduce pollution, and put
them in a place where more needs to be done. Personally, we can
control pollution ourselves by keeping our homes and lives as
pollution free as possible, including reducing cigarette smoke and
driving cars that have the lowest emissions possible. We can also take
public transportation or carpool instead of driving ourselves, alone,
in our cars to places we need to go to. Finally, in addition to
getting public officials to put "green" power sources into place, such
as solar and wind energy, we ourselves can cut down our energy
consumption and thus reduce the amount of coal and oil that need to be
mined to meet our energy needs. Even though we ourselves are not
burning that coal and oil personally, if we use electricity in our
homes, we are requiring that power plant that generates our
electricity to burn coal to produce it. Therefore, we ourselves are
responsible for those coal emissions as well. Therefore, we can take
steps now to be prudent with our energy use, including efficient use
of lighting and appliances, as well as other energy-saving measures in
our homes.
In addition, ask your doctor for measures you can take to keep your
own home as pollution-free as possible. In addition to his or her
advice, some other methods include commonsensical things, like not
smoking in your house and not letting other people smoke there,
either. Use air filters in your home to reduce airborne pollutants
like dust, pet dander or hair.
Finally, as stated above, drive as little as you can, carpool when you
can, and use public transportation. This will cut down on smog from
vehicle emissions, which is another major asthma trigger. Since asthma
is also helped by exercise, if you suffer from asthma, bicycle or
start walking more instead of taking your car for shorter distances.
Just watch what results this will produce. Not only will the reduced
pollutants in your area improve your asthma, but the exercise will
help your symptoms improve as well.