Does Indoor Air Pollution Affect Your Asthma?
Updated September 17, 2013.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Question: Does Indoor Air Pollution Affect Your Asthma?
Will devices to reduce indoor air pollution and improve indoor air quality help your asthma? Additionally, you may receive offers for indoor air quality testing--is it worth the expense?
Answer:
Occasionally patients ask me about indoor air pollution and whether indoor air quality affects their asthma. Often patients want to know about specific asthma devices that are being marketed to them and whether these asthma devices decrease indoor air pollution, improve indoor air quality, and ultimately their asthma symptoms.
Indoor Air Pollution & Your Home
Just as air pollution levels and weather outside affect your asthma, indoor air quality can affect your asthma too. Given that we spend so much time indoors, it makes sense to try to improve indoor air quality. There are a number of things mentioned below that you can do to improve indoor air quality and decrease indoor air pollution in your home.
Indoor air pollution may worsen asthma symptoms such as:
We know that all of the following are potential triggers of your asthma:
The question becomes: what can you do to decrease these triggers in your home and improve your indoor air quality?
Do I Need to Have My Indoor Air Quality Tested?
From time to time you may receive a flyer in the mail offering testing to determine indoor air quality in your home. For example, radon testing is now routinely offered in many communities. I am not aware of any studies that would support the expense of indoor air quality testing or its value for asthma control.
Can "Asthma Devices" Improve Indoor Air Quality?
Often, the marketing in support of devices like fans with HEPA filters can be very convincing, pulling on your natural desire to protect yourself and your family. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of good research to support spending a lot of money on these devices.
Some devices can decrease allergens that contribute to indoor air pollution, but few studies have shown improvements in things like FEV1 or asthma exacerbation. For example, the devices to improve indoor air quality are not as effective as dust mite and dander control measures. While HEPA filters improve air quality related to dog or cat dander and mold, the improvements in indoor air quality have not been associated with similar improvements in asthma outcomes such as ER visits or symptoms. There also does not appear to be evidence to support services for cleaning air ducts in your home heating and cooling systems to improve asthma control. Finally, asthma devices that improve indoor air quality via ozone generation may, in fact, actually worsen asthma.
What You Can Do to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
- Vacuum carpets. Vacuuming your carpets a couple times a week is an effective measure at decreasing house dust. If you have asthma, it is probably best to avoid vacuuming altogether and avoid your asthmatic children being in the room while you vacume. If you're not able to do this, wearing a dust mask or using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter will decrease your exposure.
- Use air-conditioning. In warm weather a central air-conditioning system allows you to keep windows and doors closed and decrease your exposure to outdoor allergens. Additionally, air-conditioning keeps humidity levels down, which is helpful in controlling dust mites.
- Use a dehumidifier. If you live in a part of the country where humidity levels are high most of the year, you probably have a dust mite problem too. Using a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels in your home below 60% can decreases dust mites.
Learn More About Controlling Indoor Air Quality
- How to Control a Dust Mites Allergy
- Get Rid of Roaches Organically
- Feng Shui Bedroom Tips To Improve Air Quality
- 10 Steps to Better Indoor Air Quality
- A Brief Chat About Indoor Air Quality
Source:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed: October 15, 2010. Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
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