The Impact of Air Quality on Asthma: Strategies for Mitigation

 

Yañez experienced chest tightness and pain. Despite shutting her windows, running the air conditioner, and using an air filter, her symptoms persisted. “I was using my inhaler every couple of hours,” Yañez recalls. Regardless of the medications she took, her chest pain continued.

Seeking Relief by the Coast

After enduring several difficult days, Yañez remembered feeling better by the coast. She checked local air quality maps and noticed cleaner air near the ocean. She decided to pack up her work and her child, heading to Redondo Beach. “With every mile, my lungs felt better,” she says. “By the time I reached the beach, I could breathe without pain.”

The Broader Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma

Dirty air from diesel exhaust, traffic fumes, industrial pollution, or wildfires makes breathing challenging for everyone, but it severely impacts those with asthma. During the spring and summer of 2023, Canadian wildfires caused a 17% spike in asthma-related emergency room visits in the U.S.

Scientific Insights into Air Pollution and Asthma

Dr. Akhgar Ghassabian, an associate professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, emphasizes that research consistently links air pollution to asthma attacks. Even low levels of pollution can trigger symptoms, particularly in children and seniors.

How Air Pollution Affects the Respiratory System

Over the past decades, studies at the University of North Carolina have exposed volunteers to diesel exhaust or wood smoke. These studies, involving healthy participants with mild asthma, revealed increased airway inflammation due to pollutants. Dr. David Peden, senior associate dean at UNC, explains that exposure to exhaust constituents causes neutrophilic and eosinophilic inflammation, irritating the airway epithelium.

Air Pollution’s Acute Effects on Asthma Sufferers

For those with severe asthma, air pollution causes significant health issues. Dr. Stokes Peebles from Vanderbilt University Medical Center explains that polluted air can lead to chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can penetrate deep into the lungs, evading the body’s defenses and causing systemic inflammation.

The Unique Threat of Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke is particularly dangerous due to its toxic mix of organic and inorganic materials. It drastically increases fine particle levels in the air, as seen during the 2018 Camp Fire in San Francisco. Unlike other pollution sources, wildfire smoke often includes harmful fumes from burning manmade items.

Air Pollution and New Onset Asthma

Air pollution doesn’t just worsen existing asthma; it can also cause new respiratory issues. Matt Perzanowski from Columbia University notes that exposure to diesel smoke can trigger new allergies, such as those to cockroaches. Limiting children’s exposure to pollution, especially wildfire smoke, is crucial.

Strategies for Protecting Yourself from Poor Air Quality

Asthma sufferers must monitor local air quality reports daily to prevent exacerbations. Here are some effective strategies: