According to Asthma Canada, asthma is the third most common chronic disease in the country, affecting more than 3.8 million Canadians. Although there is currently no cure for asthma, steps can be taken to effectively control the symptoms and prevent severe outcomes.
Find out more about asthma and whether air purifiers can be used to give those living with the condition a better quality of life!
People with asthma have particularly sensitive airways that tend to overreact when irritated. Muscle spasms, inflammation and mucus cause the airways to narrow, making it difficult to breathe. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing.
Asthma ranges in severity from mild, occasional symptoms to serious attacks that can lead to hospitalization and even death.
Asthma triggers
Asthma triggers are things that irritate the sensitive airways of asthmatics, causing attacks and/or making symptoms worse. Triggers differ from person to person, and an individual can have more than one.
Asthma often occurs in conjunction with allergies. People with both usually find that environmental allergens will trigger their asthma symptoms. Common allergic triggers include pet dander, dust mites, mold and pollen.
Other types of irritants include cigarette smoke, dust, air pollution, strong smells, viral infections and exercise. If you have asthma, it’s important to know what your triggers are so that you can take steps to avoid and/or mitigate them.
Air purifiers are designed to eliminate the fine particles present in indoor air. Many are equipped with HEPA filters that are adept at capturing even the trickiest sizes of particles. Air purifiers with HEPA filters can effectively trap many of the most common asthma triggers, including dust, dander and pollen, cleaning the air and helping to mitigate asthma symptoms. There are also whole house air purification systems with UV technology that are designed to deactivate and destroy airborne microorganisms such as dust mites, mold spores and viruses.
There’s no question that air purifiers improve indoor air quality and safety, and reducing the prevalence of asthma triggers is an important step in managing the condition. That being said, it’s a good idea for people with asthma to use other mitigation methods in conjunction with air purifiers for best results.
For people with asthma, avoiding triggers and managing symptoms can be a daily challenge. Fortunately, modern technology provides a variety of solutions that can contribute to a comprehensive mitigation strategy!
Sanuvox is a global leader in UVC air purifiers. Our residential UV air purifiers are equipped with proprietary UV technology that effectively destroys contaminants and degrades chemicals and odours for cleaner, purer air. Invest in your health and well-being—contact us today!