Summer Heat Can Trigger More Asthma Attacks
Filipinos suffering from asthma must be having a hard time this summer due to very high temperatures (37 degrees celsius - above) in many locations. Tuguegarao is the hottest place in the country with a weather forecast of 37 degrees celsius minimum.
Health-wise, summer in the Philippines is not friendly to many Pinoys especially those with illnesses such as hypertension and asthma. For asthmatic individuals (like my friends Ellaine and RJ), summer heat can be a foe since it causes so much discomfort in breathing (and blogging). 
But what is asthma? Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disease in which the airways become sensitive to allergens (any substance that triggers an allergic reaction). Several things happen to the airways when a person is exposed to certain triggers:
- The lining of the airways become swollen and inflamed.
- The muscles that surround the airways tighten.
- The production of mucus in increased, leading to mucus plugs.
All of these factors will cause the airways to narrow, thus making it difficult for air to go in and out of your lungs, causing the symptoms of asthma.
Asthma may resemble other respiratory problems such as emphysema, bronchitis, and lower respiratory infections. It is often under-diagnosed and many people with the disease do not know they have it. Sometimes, the only symptom is a chronic cough, especially at night, or coughing or wheezing that occurs only with exercise. Some people think they have recurrent bronchitis, since respiratory infections usually settle in the chest in a person predisposed to asthma.
The exact cause of asthma is not completely known. It is believed to be partially inherited, but it also involves many other environmental, infectious, and chemical factors.After a person is exposed to a certain trigger, the body releases histamine and other agents that can cause inflammation in the airways. The body also releases other factors that can cause the muscles of the airways to tighten, or become smaller. There is also an increase in mucus production that may clog the airways.
Some persons have exercise-induced asthma, which is caused by varying degrees of exercise. Symptoms can occur during, or shortly after, exercise. Each person has different triggers that cause the asthma to worsen. You should discuss this with your physician.
The changes that occur in asthma are believed to happen in two phases:
- An immediate response to the trigger leads to swelling and narrowing of the airways. This makes it initially difficult to breathe.
- A later response, which can happen four to eight hours after the initial exposure to the allergen, leads to further inflammation of the airways and obstruction of airflow.
Knowing your risk factors to any disease can help to guide you into the appropriate actions, including changing behaviors and being clinically monitored for the disease.
Although anyone may have an asthma attack, it most commonly occurs in the following persons:
- children by the age of 5
- adults in their 30s
- adults older than 65
- people living in urban communities
Other factors include the following:
- family history of asthma
- personal medical history of allergies
Children most susceptible to asthma attacks include the following:
- children with a family history of asthma
- children who have allergies
- children who have exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke
Persons with asthma have acute episodes when the air passages in their lungs become narrower, and breathing becomes more difficult. These problems are caused by an over-sensitivity of the lungs and airways.
- The lungs and airways overreact to certain triggers causing:
- the lining of the airways to become inflamed and swollen.
- tightening of the muscles that surround the airways.
- an increased production of mucus.
- Breathing becomes harder and may hurt.
- There may be coughing.
- There may be a wheezing or whistling sound, which is typical of asthma. Wheezing occurs because of the rush of air which moves through the narrowed airways.
If you want to get updates on Nursing Researches, Nursing Board Exam Results, Nursing Articles, Nursing Education, Health and Health tips, and other informative articles in this site, please subscribe to my Free RSS feed. Thank you very much!
Tags: Asthma, asthma attacks, health, Nursing, Nursing Research, Philippines, summer heat
Hello kuya, hehehe especial mention c ellaine.
Ay mahirap talaga pg may asthma kuya. Meron din ako pero thank God at di naman masyado malala and umaatake unlike sa brother ko. In runs in our family, kahit mga pinsan ko ganun din. Madaming bawal kaya nakakainis. hehehe..
Thanks for sharing this info kuya. Big help.
oist namimiss na kita sa blog ko..di ka na dumadalaw dun.. :[ hehehe
twinks’s last blog post..Keep In Touch With Old Friends and Meet New Ones
[Reply]
Twinks,
Thank you so much for paying me a visit everytime you can bloghop. I frequently visit your blog din pag may time ako. Sa ngayon kasi medyo busy ako so di ganong nakaka-bloghop. Pero I’ll make up basta may oras.
jessie’s last blog post..GMA Airs Survivor Philippines
[Reply]
you’re right! on the onset of summer i had my first asthma attack. masyado kasing dusty and maiinit..
wish i could move to baguio during summer. i had to go home to bicol just rid myself of asthma before i could blog again hehe. medyo maulan kasi in bicol.
pinaywife’s last blog post..On Hiring Helpers
[Reply]
jessie reply on April 23rd, 2008:
Fren,
Talagang sobrang init this summer. It’s really “killing” many pinoys. This is partly due to global warming kaya iba na ang timpla ng panahon natin.
jessie’s last blog post..Bad Reputation in Borrowing Can Damage Your Name
[Reply]
uyyy kuya!!! Starring pala kami dito ni RJ, hehehe! SALAMAT!
Sorry, as much as I wanted to visit you every night, di kinakaya ng powers ko. Gabi-gabi ba naman ako nagnenebulize, hmmmmmp! Ang masaya lang don kasi maaga nako nakakatulog, I have 8 hours of sleep now daily. Ayoko ng masira pa at ibalik sa dati na ultimate puyatan..
Anyway, this is a very informative post, kuya. In my case, it is inherited. And there is no cure to asthma, but it can be prevented. Summer heat has really taken its toll on me. KAsi dati inaatake ako kapag napapagod at nati-trigger ng allergens..Ngaun, gabi-gabi talaga, huhuhu!
Oi, kuya im sure ang laki na ng ipon mo sa blogging hehehe!
Hope I could catch you sometime soon at YM. Na-miss ko ng kausap ang lolo ko, bwahahahahaha!
Scotty’s Princess’s last blog post..Daily Five Must Have Foods
[Reply]
Ellaine,
I understand. Alam ko nmang asthmatic kayo ni RJ eh. hehehe!
jessie’s last blog post..Online College Education - The Pros and Cons You Must Know
[Reply]
[...] the Philippines, summer time has become hotter than before. In one of my earlier articles, “Summer Heat Can Trigger More Asthma Attacks“, I have discussed in that article the difficulties experienced by those who have asthma [...]
Humid air always gives me problems breathing. The best thing to do is try and stay out of the hot humid weather and stay hydrated.
[Reply]