Your Asthma Trigger Checklist

Allergies

Yes

No

Pollens (trees, grasses, ragweed)

Molds

Animals and animal products (dander, wool, feathers, down pillows)

Insect parts and dust mites

Note: Dust is a problem only if it has an allergen content to which the person is allergic. Sources of dust in the home include:

Cloth upholstery, carpets, draperies

Brooms and dusters

Dirty air filters on furnaces

Leaky vacuum cleaners

Respiratory Infections

Common cold virus

Flu virus

Sinusitis

Irritants

Household vapors and sprays:

Vapors (Cleaning solvents, paint, paint thinner, shellac, varnish)

Aerosol sprays (Furniture polish, oven cleaners, starch, room deodorizers)

Personal products (Spray deodorant, hair spray, perfumes, colognes)

Industrial dusts, vapors, and fumes:

Wood products (western red cedar)

Flour, cereals, grains, cotton

Metals (Platinum, chromium)

Mold (Hay)

Air Pollution

Air pollution and traffic jams

Parking garages

Smoke-filled rooms

Wood fires, barbecues

Exercise

Medication may have to be used before exercise

Wheezing sometimes begins during exercise as airways dry out

Exercise indoors on the coldest days

Nighttime

Increase in airway inflammation

Stomach acid and heartburn

Postnasal drainage leading to coughing

Weather

Seasonal changes (May trigger allergies due to pollen and mold spores)

Humidity, wind, dryness

Cold air may induce asthma in some people

Weather fronts, especially in the fall

Emotions

Airway narrowing caused by laughing, crying, or yelling

Fear, frustration, and anger

Hormonal Changes

Symptoms caused by changes in hormonal balance during menstrual cycle or pregnancy

Health Problems

Infections and allergies

Sinusitis

Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD)