Air Pollution

Do you live in an inner-city? If you do, you are susceptible to breathing in polluted air. Several factors contribute to this. Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant that comes from road traffic, factories, and power plants. Exhaust is another pollutant removed from cars, trucks, and buses. These gases are suspended in the air and pollute the quality of the air you breathe.

Air Pollution and Asthma

Inhaling polluted air causes your airways to become more reactive and inflame. Additionally, it makes your airways sensitive to different asthma triggers

  • Difficulty breathing 
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Chest pain 
  • Sleep disruptions/interruptions because of your symptoms 

Manage Your Asthma

You can have asthma, live in an inner-city, and live an active life. You can manage your exposure to pollutants and keep your asthma under control.

  • Pay attention to government-issued alerts for smog alerts and high ozone level forecasts 
  • Stay indoors when smog and ozone levels are high
  • Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities on days when air pollution is high or when air quality is low 
  • Live away from major highways — especially high-traffic areas
  • Use asthma medications
  • Create an asthma action plan

Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke contributes to polluted air. Inhaled tobacco smoke damages 1 your airways and make your body produce lots of mucus. First- or second-hand smoke can aggravate your asthma symptoms. 

  • Coughing
  • Wheezing 
  • Shortness of breath
  • Trouble breathing
  • Mucus 
  • Cough with mucus

Is Smoking Safe?

Smoking is not safe. Tobacco products contain toxic chemicals and harmful substances, like tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide. Inhaling these chemicals damage your airways and can increase your risk of health complications and poor health outcomes.

  • You can have worse asthma symptoms 
  • You can have more frequent or severe asthma attacks 
  • Your asthma therapies may not work as well

The best thing for you to do to control your asthma is to stop smoking. If you are not an active smoker, avoid places that allow smoking and do not let people smoke in your home. If your child has asthma, talk to them about the dangers of secondhand smoke.