Simple Tips To Prevent Severe Asthma Attacks in Cold Weather

Cold winter temperatures can be difficult for people with asthma and a variety of factors contribute to asthma attacks during the winter months. If you're an asthma sufferer it's advisable to talk to your healthcare provider to develop an individualized plan to lessen asthma attacks throughout the winter. Different factors can contribute to worsening asthma symptoms during the cold weather, including triggers in your home and outdoors.

What's the Connection Between Cold Weather and Asthma Attacks?

Certain triggers cause the bronchial tubes to become inflamed and swell in people who have asthma. These triggers can make it very difficult to breathe. Studies have indicated that hospitals admit more patients with asthma-related symptoms during the winter months. Several factors may contribute to the reason more people get sick during the winter since respiratory illnesses, colds, and flu circulate more often in the winter, causing the airways to get inflamed. When a person with asthma breathes dry, cold air, muscles start to spasm to keep the airway open. The airway gets further irritated, which can cause coughing spells shortness of breath, and wheezing. Asthma attacks often occur in the winter when it's cold and the air is dry. Symptoms may get worse when there are windy conditions.

According to the American Lung Association, when the weather is cold people usually spend more time indoors where they come into contact with more allergens like pet dander, mold, and dust. Allergens can trigger asthma attacks. Cold weather asthma symptoms are no different from asthma that's caused by other triggers, including wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, or shortness of breath. Even if you live in a climate that usually experiences mild weather, winter may bring fluctuations in the air pressure, dry, cold air, wind, snow, and rain. Windy or rainy weather may stir up mold spores. Changes in the barometric pressure can trigger sinus problems. Another factor is histamine production, which increases during an allergic reaction, especially in cold weather. Histamine can lead to breathing problems including difficulty breathing and wheezing.