Summertime Triggers Asthma Warnings

Summertime triggers Asthma warnings.  Additionally, FLASS is officially issuing our yearly asthma Alert.

If you are on a FLASS Asthma Action Plan, you probably noticed our title today is quite wry. You see, we socially triggered the official summertime with Memorial Day.

In turn, summertime has activated many major triggers of asthma and allergy.  Thus, as the asthma triggers arrive, we also trigger our FLASS Asthma Alert!

It’s a vicious cycle. However, we hope this little blog helps at least one person avoid an emergency room trip. Each season, we issue these specialized FLASS warnings to put patients on guard and prevent trips to the emergency room.

Asthma Warnings:  Summertime Triggers on the Menu

If you respond to grass pollens with allergic reactions or asthma, the summer of 2023 will doubly challenge you with multiple triggers.

However, let’s look at some of the less obvious summertime triggers that cause summertime asthma attacks.  “Although symptoms may not always be severe, summertime allergies and asthma are serious and, in some cases, deadly.”

This proclamation came from allergist James Sublett, MD.  He is the chair of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Public Relations Committee.

Additionally, he adds, “However, these conditions shouldn’t damper summer fun.” The FLASS doctors and health professionals agree with Dr. Sublett. We compose our asthma action plan with a two-pronged approach.

1.   Our first job is relieving your symptoms, of course.

2.   Secondly, and equally important, we must assist you in finding the sources that instigate your attacks. That’s the point of this asthma warning and our investigation of the summertime triggers behind your asthma attacks.

Summertime Triggers Asthma: What’s on the Summertime Menu?

Diving into a picnic dish of strawberry shortcake might trigger a surprise asthma attack. Even an adult can suddenly react allergically, although they have previously enjoyed strawberries.

As we have previously stated, “At FLASS we believe in addressing food allergies, getting properly tested.  Additionally, we believe in following the individualized FLASS action plan for specific treatment in case of accidental ingestion.”

Summer Triggers Asthma Warnings:  Weather Hazards After Memorial Day

In Florida, summer weather brings very unpredictable conditions after Memorial Day.  Heat and Humidity are major factors in weather hazards.  They can bring on sudden breathlessness in a matter of seconds.

Below are abrupt conditions that you cannot always avoid. Be prepared with your rescue inhaler, and follow your medication schedule.

• Sudden Smothering humidity.
• And cool, Sweet Sudden Breezes.
• Additionally, even light Winds carry strange pollen and mold quickly and directly into your airways.
• Be aware of sudden cold rain. The chill itself can cause you to react.

Special Weather Triggers for Summertime 2023

The fact that the weather changes suddenly to a “new” condition is enough to trigger or provoke an asthma attack. Even walking out of a hyper-cold, air-conditioned room directly into summertime heat, or vice versa, can activate your asthma.

Again, you and FLASS’s action plan can prevent or control severe attacks.

The Research Behind the Summertime Triggers

In previous research, we have revealed some valuable summertime weather trigger facts. For example, “People with mild asthma may find that when summer temperatures soar, along with humidity levels, their asthma symptoms begin to act up.”

Beyond the Generalities:  The Mindset

Many patients ask, “Why is this happening to me in the best time of the year, the summertime”?

According to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, “Breathing in such hot environments could lead to coughing and shortness of breath.”

• In fact, “Researchers found that a room temperature of about 71 degrees Fahrenheit did not trigger asthma symptoms.”
• In contrast, “breathing in super-hot air at 120 degrees F did.”

Thus, research scientists concluded that “summer asthma exacerbations could be due, in part, to heat stress that affects the physiology of your airways and leads to an asthma reaction.”

Sometimes, knowing the facts behind triggers can empower patients intellectually. This prevents panic at the onset of asthma attacks.

Summertime Triggers Asthma:  Snuggling in the Firelight

On the riverbank or the ocean beach, snuggling down by the campfire is never an option if you have asthma. The smoke of any kind from campfires, cookers, barbeques, or the new smoke pits for patios should be considered hazardous to your summertime health.

As we have said before, “Stay up-wind. Sit away from the fire.  Far away!  No marshmallow toasting!”

Stinging, Biting, and Flying Summertime Triggers

Many patients with severe allergies to insects typically carry epinephrine. On any summertime adventure in the woods or the backyard, you could get stung by bees, wasps, hornets, biting gnats, flies, mosquitos, or fire ants.

Recently mosquito wasps have been on the asthma hot list in certain parts of the country. Hot as it might be, wear your insect combat suit.

• “Remember to wear long sleeves and don’t wear perfume! Don’t carry an open sugary drink can!”
• FLASS will recommend testing of course, so you can be prepared.

Summertime Triggers, Defined, Refined, and Redesigned

Let’s Review the Nature of Summertime Asthma Triggers

According to the experts from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “People with asthma have inflamed airways which are sensitive to things which may not bother other people.

These things are “triggers.” Triggers like trees, grass, weed, pollens, mold, animal dander, and cockroach droppings are very common each season.

Although we can warn you of common Summertime Triggers, your list is customized to you.  “It’s important to identify which ones are yours specifically. Then the only trick is to avoid them as much as possible.”

By planning, to see your healthcare specialist, having tests for your allergies, and getting an asthma action plan even the most sensitive of us can enjoy summer.

The Villains With Fast Summer Triggers

By planning, seeing an allergist, and knowing the causes of allergy and asthma, even those with the most sensitive noses and lungs can enjoy summer festivities. Below, you can meet the most Villainous Triggers of Summer and some of them might shock you.

 1.  The Most Obvious Villains:  Heat and Humidity.

Did you know that hot, humid air could trigger asthma symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath?

Changes in the Weather:  Shifting Weather Patterns are never safe for asthmatics. Sti­fling humidity or a sudden, refreshingly cool breeze, can trigger an asthma attack.

Lovely breezes bring you pollen and mold, igniting reactions to grass or tree pollen and mold allergies.

Remember your FLASS healthcare specialist can help you develop an allergy and asthma action plan to ensure your symptoms are kept in check no matter the season or the temperature.

2.  Chlorinated Summertime Triggers

Although not an allergen, the smell of chlorine from pools or hot tubs can be an irritant and cause flares of either allergy-like eye and nose symp­toms or asthma in some people. Your reaction depends on many variables.

How large is the pool?  How strong is the pool treatment? Is the pool enclosed or open air?

On the one hand, you might simply experience a stuffed nose. On the other hand, you might need to deal with a full-blown asthma attack just from the air around the pool.

The simple precaution is to have your rescue inhaler with you, and maybe shorten your swim time if the water has been treated for only 1 or 2 days.

A FLASS Asthma Hit List:  Three Indoor Habits that Encourage Summertime Triggers for Asthma

Unchanged air filters, pro­crastination, and self-medication are the three bad habits to avoid as you observe summertime fun.

1.  Unchanged Air Filters

• Using an air filter machine to keep your home pollen and particulate-free is good ammunition against indoor summertime triggers.
• Make certain it is the right kind of filter for your machine. This blogger has 4 air filter machines in various parts of a 2200-square-foot house, plus the whole-house filtration system.
• With a whole-house filtration system, you need to faithfully change the filters regularly. Be wary of this or you could be doing more harm than good.  You could be blowing pollutants and dust back into the house.

2.   Procrastination A Losing Option With Summertime Triggers

You may think you can put off or even do without medication.  Instead, get the jump on asthma and al­lergies by taking your medication as prescribed, on time, every time.  Do this before the worst of your summertime triggers hit you.

3.    Self-medication:  An Asthma and Allergy Nightmare

Many times on this website we advocate against self-diagnoses and self-medication.

“Perhaps you’re not sure exactly certain about what’s making your asthma or allergy kick up. Thus, you switch from one over-the-counter medication to the next.

FLASS recommends that you see your doctor, allergist, or pulmonologist.  They are the experts. They can prescribe proper tests and treatments. And they help you discover your individual summertime triggers.

Thank you for reading our blog.  Be Safe and “Be Prepared.”