An impending asthma attack is usually characterized by a wheezing sound when you’re breathing, chest tightness, and fits of coughing. This respiratory disorder happens when the airways swell and produce mucus as a reaction to allergens. Many of these allergens can be found all around your home.
Some people dismiss asthma as nothing more than a mild inconvenience but, in severe cases, an asthmatic person will not be able to eat, sleep, or speak properly as they would be too breathless. They could even turn blue because of lack of oxygen in the blood, get drowsy, and, in some instances, faint.
Asthma affects around five million people in the United Kingdom. Many things contribute to it, including genetics and hygiene. The former can be handled but not cured, but the later can be entirely controlled. If you have asthma, you must avoid both outdoor and indoor triggers to reduce the frequency of your attacks.
Cold and hot weather, air pollution, and breathing in chemical fumes and other allergens are all examples of outdoor triggers. These are easier to avoid than what you breathe in when inside your home, which is where you spend most of your time (especially these days). Although staying indoors may be the best recommendation for avoiding allergic reactions to external stimuli, there are also asthma triggers inside the house, such as disrepair issues in your home, which you need to get rid of to be safe from this respiratory disorder.
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Household asthma triggers
If you search around your home for possible allergens, you might just find more than a few household products and/or home disrepair issues that may be the culprits causing your respiratory problems.
Cleaning chemicals
Keeping your house neat and clean is essential in shielding yourself from asthma triggers. However, be sure to use chemicals that will not harm your airways or lungs. If you want to use a disinfectant, choose a non-chemical alternative and use it sparingly. Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol are safer options for disinfecting your home and its surroundings.
When you clean the house, you can opt to wear a mask even if the room is properly ventilated. When chemicals are used together, they can react and produce hazardous vapours. Wear additional safety equipment such as gloves to protect your hands and goggles to shield your eyes from the toxins.
Tobacco smoke
Second-hand smoke is just as harmful as the smoke you inhale when you take a puff of your cigarette. If you have asthma and someone in your household smokes a couple or more cigarettes each day, it’s possible that this is causing your sudden attacks. For the sake of your health and theirs, request that they stop. Instruct them to smoke outside of your home or building if they are unable to quit completely.
Dust
Dust gathers in almost anything in your home, especially the carpets, furniture, linen, pillows, and mattresses. And wherever there’s dust, there are dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic insects whose droppings can cause allergic reactions.
Be careful that you do not use a dry cloth to wipe off the dust from surfaces. The damp cloth will prevent the particles from floating or flying in the air. Do some regular vacuuming and cleaning.
If you rent your home, your landlord will appreciate the way you take care of your flat if they always find it neat and tidy during their scheduled visits.
Pests
Cockroaches, in particular, are triggers for allergic reactions, including asthma. Pathogens and substances from their carapace, their droppings, and their saliva can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
You should keep your home clean and clutter-free, with food kept in airtight containers and rubbish thrown into the bin outside of the property.
Additionally, be careful when using pesticides as these can trigger asthma too.
Mould
Poor ventilation paired with a defective heating system can trap moisture inside and eventually cause mould to grow. This causes damp, which is easy to control if there is no disrepair in your home.
A leaking roof, the window that won’t close, or the cracks in the walls need to be fixed to prevent mould spores from floating in the air and causing your asthmatic reaction.
If the mould that is forming in your walls, ceilings, and your bed is not removed soon, it can cause serious health effects. One of your rights as a tenant is to be able to demand that your landlord address your concerns. If you’ve done everything to inform them of the repairs that need to be done, but they’ve disregarded you, you can report the matter to your local council.
You can also choose to get the services of the housing disrepair experts at DisrepairClaim.co.uk. They can make your landlord fulfil their responsibilities to provide you with a safe and secure home.
