With the spring season comes allergy and asthma triggers that can cause trouble for people with chronic lung conditions. But it’s important to remember that your home also contains asthma and allergy triggers. These triggers can also affect people with COPD. So how do you keep those sneezes and wheezes at bay? Let’s find out!
Taking steps to improve your indoor air quality can help minimize your allergy, asthma, and COPD triggers and improve your breathing. Try to incorporate some of these tips into your daily or weekly routines:
- Vacuum and dust weekly, and don’t be shy if you need to ask a friend or family member for help. Wear a mask while cleaning if you are sensitive to dust.
- Avoid scented candles, air fresheners, and strong-smelling cleaning supplies. Instead, try natural or unscented cleaners. A vinegar and water solution can be a great cleaning solution for your home.
- Wash your curtains regularly to remove dust.
- Consider purchasing allergy pillow covers. They are inexpensive and are sold at all major stores. Allergy pillow covers act as a barrier between you and the dust mites that live in your pillows.
- Wash your bedding (including allergy pillow covers) weekly in hot water.
- Keep pets out of the bedroom. Sometimes pets are “innocent bystanders” who bring outdoor allergens into your home on their fur! Some people are also sensitive to pet dander.
- Avoid feather pillows and down jackets. Some people are very sensitive to feathers and bird dander.
- Clean up any water leaks in your home right away and be sure to fix the cause of the leak. You can also consider using a dehumidifier, which is a machine that removes humidity from the air.
- If you have visible mold in your home, clean it up with soap and water. If the problem covers a large area, or if it comes back, you may need to hire a professional to help you safely remove it.
- Consider using an air cleaner in your bedroom and/or put a HEPA filter on your furnace. Be sure to change these filters regularly.
If these tips sound a little overwhelming, focus on one at a time. Think about what triggers your lung symptoms and tackle those things first. If you’re not sure, keep a diary. On each day, write down things like the weather, which activities you enjoyed, and any changes in your home environment or usual routine. You can use a calendar, notebook, or even a simple piece of paper. Look at the past few weeks of diary entries and see if you notice any patterns. Do you have allergy or lung symptoms after visiting a friend who has pets in the home? Do you notice COPD flare-ups during hot, humid days or very cold weather? These important clues can help you to better control your symptoms. And don’t forget to share the information you discovered with your health care provider!
It's also important to note that triggers can be long-lasting. It can take time—sometimes up to a day or two—to notice symptoms after an exposure. In these cases, a symptom diary can be a huge help! And when you feel symptoms starting, don’t forget to follow your My COPD Action Plan. If you don’t have one, you can download a copy for free! And for more healthy living tips, download our Tips for Living Well with COPD flyer.
While it's not always easy to avoid asthma, allergy, and COPD triggers, there are things you can do to make your breathing more comfortable. Which of these environmental control tips have you tried? Do you keep a symptom diary? I’d love to hear what works for you!