(PRWEB) April 24, 2014
To the majority of the population, pollen season is just an annual inconvenience that can be pacified by a simple trip to the doctor and a pack of tissues. But for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third leading cause of death in the United States, allergy season means an increase in the likelihood of an exacerbation, also known as a flare-up. When not handled correctly, flare-ups can lead to hospitalization and heightened susceptibility to infection.
Flowers, trees, grass, pollen, and mold spores can all bring on a serious attack. Often, this includes shortness of breath, increase mucus production, tightness in the chest, and wheezing. Flare-ups are the number one cause of hospitalization for COPD sufferers and can be fatal. There are numerous triggers that can cause a flare-up and unfortunately seasonal allergies fall on the list. By preventing an allergy attack, sufferers can also reduce the likelihood of a life-threatening flare-up.
Lung Institute, a stem cell therapy provider located in Tampa, FL, is committed to improving the lives of lung disease sufferers. Since allergy season is predicted to peak within the next couple of weeks, Lung Institute has put together five helpful tips along with resources to help individuals with COPD, and other forms of lung disease, avoid a flare-up.
Tip 1: Stay Inside Make sure to stay indoors, leave shoes outside to avoid tracking pollen indoors, and wash clothes after being outside.
Tip 2: Close Windows We know the breeze feels nice, but dont let allergens come inside! By keeping windows closed pollen and other allergens cant make their way into the home.
Tip 3: Change Filters & Vacuum Change home air conditioning filters and car filters often. This will eliminate allergens that may be circulating, and create a controlled environment. Also, remember to vacuum and clean floors regularly to catch allergens.
Tip 4: Fix Leaks Fix leaky pipes or areas that have water damage. Mold is prone to growing in moist environments and can have an extremely detrimental effect overall health including the lungs.
Tip 5: Avoid Other Triggers Make sure to stay away from cigarette smoke, strong perfumes, cleaning agents with harsh chemicals, too dry and too humid air, pet dander, and other known flare-up triggers.
Controlling the weather obviously isnt an option, but there are some helpful resources available to detect how bad allergens are in the area. The Weather Channels website has a search option to see whats blooming by zip code and how bad the pollen index is that day. Click here to learn more. Pollen.com is also a good point of reference to check the pollen forecast, allergy forecast, and cold and flu forecast for the upcoming week.
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Tips for Managing Spring Allergies and Lung Disease