Ordinary people and asthmatics alike have often grappled with the question of what causes asthma. Chances are that if you don't suffer from asthma yourself, someone in your family or one who is close to you has asthma. Unlike other conditions, asthma also affects the lives of the people who are around the asthmatic, not because it is contagious but because a number of precautions have to be taken in order to ensure that asthma attacks aren't triggered.
Asthma can be a hard condition to live with. Not only is it a lifelong condition that has no cure, asthma affects one of the most fundamental needs that we have- breathing. For a number of asthmatics light physical exercise, certain foods or environments can trigger an attack that leaves them gasping for air and coughing. This can greatly hamper their lifestyle and prevent them from taking part in even everyday activities like jogging or going to restaurants.
Triggers And Causes
Before we can understand what causes asthma, we need to differentiate between asthma triggers and asthma causes. A trigger is something that will aggravate an asthma attack; it is not something that causes the actual condition. A good example of a trigger is cigarette smoke, which can cause an asthma attack almost immediately.
What causes asthma is a very different story. Studies have been able to show that there is more than one cause for asthma and that in an international perspective; the condition seems to be more widespread in the western world. Asthma is a hereditary condition though parents with asthma shouldn't be very concerned about passing it on to their children. Parents, who smoke, however are far more likely to have asthmatic children. Mothers who choose to smoke during their pregnancy terms are almost guaranteed to have asthmatic children. This is because smoking causes the child's air passages to become stunted.
Allergies are a major factor in what causes asthma. In children, most asthma attacks start out as allergies, either to dust, mold or pet dander. Exposure to these elements as well as unclean or polluted environments is also cause for asthma to occur.
What You Can Do
While little can be done if you already suffer from asthma, you can take a number of preventive measures to control your asthma attacks. The most important is to ensure that you live in a smoke-free area. If you smoke, then the best thing you can do for yourself is quit. Be advised that passive smoke is just as deadly so if you live with people who smoke, ask them to quit as well. Chemicals are also known to aggravate asthma so ensure that your workplace and living area don't have any open or volatile chemicals present. Paints, for example can aggravate asthma.
Dust is another thing you can control by making sure you vacuum clean your surroundings at least twice a week. When dusting, use a wet cloth so the dust is absorbed rather than given the opportunity to settle elsewhere. Avoid keeping pets that have a tendency to shed their fur, like dogs and cats. Maintaining a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits, whole grains and vegetables can also help in controlling asthma. Avoiding milk products is also a good idea, since milk products encourage the formation of mucus. Junk foods and processed and refined foods are also things that asthmatics should avoid. It's not just enough to know what causes asthma- understanding how to cope with it is also an important part of dealing with asthma attacks.
