Volume 3, No. 31 August 1, 2003
Learn what causes an asthma attack By Ellen Farrell There are six groups of common causes for asthma attacks: • Illness — Respiratory infections are the most common. They include: colds, the flu, sinus infections, etc. • Allergens — Allergens such as pollen, dust, animal hair and mold. Food allergies can also cause asthma attacks. Nuts, seafood and milk products are the most common causes of food allergies that cause asthma attacks. • Irritants — Odors, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and fumes can cause asthma attacks. • Exercise — Exercise, or fast breathing, especially during cold weather, causes breathing tubes to be more sensitive and make more mucous which can lead to an asthma attack. • Feelings — Any strong feeling or the way you react can cause an asthma attack. Stress is a common cause of asthma attacks. • Chemicals — Many people have asthma attacks after being around certain chemicals. Some are red and yellow dye (not only in food but also in colored pills) sulphur dioxide in red wine, aspirin and sulfites which are used in salad bars to make fruits and vegetables last longer. A few people have asthma only once or twice a year. Most people feel it in the fall and spring when pollen levels are the highest. If you have problems in the early morning when you wake up, talk to your doctor. There are ways to help you stop waking up with breathing problems. Some Web sites of interest with regard to asthma are The American Medical Association (www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma) and The American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org). Miller is a registered nurse with GHP/Memorial, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s healthcare plan. The articles supplied by GHP support the college’s Bee Healthy program. For more information or to enroll, call 350-6633.
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