ASTHMA: The Disease

Asthma is a disease which causes inflammation in the respiratory system causing difficulty in breathing, wheezing or shortness of breath.

Climate effects on Asthma

As allergens and certain irritants are responsible to trigger an asthmatic flare-up, the best place or climate for asthmatic patients is a place which is free from these irritants. Regardless of the place where you live, you must protect yourself from such irritants that trigger asthma.

Asthma symptoms and their triggers vary with each individual. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, there is no place that will relieve you completely of asthma symptoms, but some climates can prove better for you than the other. You may experience trigger from sudden change in temperature or air pressure, or being in extremely cold or hot and humid climate. But it is actually not the weather that causes the flare-up, but the allergens that causes inflammation in your airway. These allergens can be adversely affected by change in climate, and it is often co-related to global warming by many researchers.

Effect of Humidity on Asthma: To get relief from asthma symptoms, you might prefer a sauna or a hot bath to inhale the steam. This breaks up the mucous confined in the airways. Humidity has similar effect; and places with high humidity, like Southern Florida, are ideal for asthmatics to prevent the asthma symptoms.

Asthma alleviates near Ocean: The perfect climate for an asthma patient would be near the ocean with high humidity, having low levels of air pollution and pollen, and free of irritants like cigarette smoke. People who live by the ocean side have lesser instances of asthma attacks. The ocean air is humid and it also contains nano particles of salt. Inhaling this salty air has curative effects on asthma, and prevents its symptoms from occurring. If you suffer from wheezing, just be sitting on the ocean beach will bring you relief.

Effect of different geographical places on Asthma

Good climatic places:  Based on statistics, the best places for asthmatics are Orange County, San Jose, San Diego and Long Beach are places in California State. These places usually have constant climatic condition without extremes of cold and heat; in addition, these places also have fairly low pollen counts. Other places in the US, like Honolulu (Hawaii) and West Palm Beach (Florida), also hold top positions the list due to the same reasons as those cities mentioned, in California.

Contrary Climates:  Asthma symptoms will aggravate in places like Tucson (Arizona), Kansas City (Missouri), Montana State, Phoenix (Arizona) and Fresno (California). Though these places have relative low pollen counts, the pollution levels here are fairly high.

Avoid Cigarette Smoke: Cigarette smoke usually triggers asthma; COPD International says that Orange County (California) and similar places are good for asthmatics because of the strict smoking bans in public places.

Air Pollution: As air pollution is one of the main risk factors of asthma, and the ideal climate for asthma patients should be relatively free from air pollution.

Allergens and Irritants: Allergens that trigger or worsen asthma symptoms include dust, chemical fumes, mold, pet dander and pollen. Out of these, the pollen levels vary with climate and season. If you live in an area with high pollen levels during certain times of the year, you must limit your outdoor activities. There are a few places, with climates having relatively low pollen levels throughout the year, like including Southern California, Southern Florida, Hawaii, along with Syracuse (New York) and McAllen (Texas).