Temperature Induced Asthma

Symptoms of Temperature Induced Asthma

Temperature-induced asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing. These symptoms will be more prevalent in times when the weather is either humid or cold. To know if your asthma is temperature-induced, watch the weather and your symptoms so you know the cause and can treat it accordingly.

Causes of Temperature Induced Asthma

The weather is a big factor in asthma symptoms. The two most common cause of temperature-related asthma is cold weather and humid weather. Anything above 60% humidity is considered humid and the air is very difficult to breathe. On the other hand, the cold weather has a big effect on asthma too.

Humidity can encourage the growth of mold, dust mites, and pollen counts are typically high. In the cold weather, your airways become dry and irritated. The cold leads to an increase in mucus, which makes you more likely to get sick. When the weather is cold, you are more likely to stay indoors, which puts you at greater exposure to dust, pet dander, or mold. Even though temperature-induced asthma is technically outdoors, the indoors play a huge role in asthma symptoms as well.

Treatment of Temperature Induced Asthma

There are three steps to treatment in temperature induced asthma. The first step is to avoid triggers. If you are more sensitive to the humidity, bring a dehumidifier indoors and avoid humid days outside. If it is the cold weather that affects you, then you will need to spend winters indoors as much as possible. The triggers that come with the temperatures, such as mold, pollen, or being exposed to more dander, should be treated appropriately.

The next step is to take the proper long-term medications, as prescribed by your physician. These medications should be taken daily to keep your asthma symptoms under control.

Lastly, rescue medications can help treat symptoms once they have already started. If you are having problems with controlling your asthma, then speak with your physician about updating your medications and come up with an asthma action plan.