Home  Asthma Questions and answers about asthma Non-medical treatment
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| How can I avoid common triggers? | First, it is important to know what triggers your asthma.
Secondly, remember the difference between triggers that cause inflammation and those that only cause temporary symptoms.
Common triggers are tobacco smoke indoors, cold air and exercise.
You should be strict about no smoking indoors in your home and other places where you spend time. Exposure to tobacco smoke makes asthma worse in most people.
Cold air also triggers symptoms more easily when you are not getting proper treatment, so increasing the dose of an anti-inflammatory medication will often help.
Exercise is important and should normally not be discouraged, because asthma symptoms can be prevented by good medication.
However, there are other environmental triggers such as pollen and air pollution that are difficult to avoid.
It is important to talk to your doctor about these triggers and take the proper medication regularly. |
| What can I do to improve my home environment in general? |
It’s important that your home is easy to clean and ventilate and that the floors are easy to clean. Wood, tile or linoleum flooring is better than fitted textile carpeting, which tends to collect a lot of dust, mites and allergens.
Do not keep furry animals or birds.
Also try to avoid strong perfumes, aftershave, deodorants and fragrant flowers (all of these are possible triggers) inside the house. And don’t allow smoking indoors! |
| I’m allergic to pets/furred animals, what can I do? |
If you have allergic asthma, it is especially important to avoid or at least reduce exposure of the allergens indoors. If you are allergic to pets such as cats and dogs you should not have pets indoors.
Use vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters and double bags.
Reduce your contact with pets outside the home, especially indoor contact.
You may feel better if you avoid having dust-collecting textiles and furniture. |
| I’m allergic to dust mites, what can I do? |
House dust mites and their allergens are difficult to avoid. But try to keep the house and especially the living area and the bedrooms dry and well ventilated. Avoid textile floor coverings.
If possible, let someone else do the cleaning. Mop the floors instead of vacuuming them.
It can be a good idea to encase pillows, quilts and mattresses in airtight covers, or wash your pillow, blanket and bedding regularly at 60°C. Previously it was recommended that you put your pillow in the freezer to reduce the number of dust mites. That is not necessary if you get a cover for your pillow and mattress that does not let the dust mites through. Ask your doctor for advice.
Minimize or replace upholstered furniture and textiles.
If you have to use a vacuum cleaner, use one with a HEPA filter and double bags. |
| Should I get a central vacuum cleaner? | | It is not scientifically proven that central vacuum cleaners are more effective than modern vacuum cleaners fitted with special filters. |
| Can I reduce my asthma if I get an air purifier? |
There are conflicting results about the effects of using an air purifier in the home. If you have no other way of reducing your exposure to allergens or irritants, it may be worth trying.
If so, you must use it correctly, which includes keeping doors and windows closed to the room where you are using it. |
| Can acupuncture help my asthma? |
Acupuncture releases among other things the body’s own cortisone and this can help in some cases.
One or two studies have shown a short temporary effect, but there are no long-term studies showing any lasting effects. |
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