
Asthma
Asthma is a common, long-term condition which effects the lungs. People with asthma have airways (or breathing tubes) that are...
Good indoor air quality is crucial for human health and particularly important for vulnerable groups i.e. babies, children, the elderly, as well as people living with respiratory and allergic diseases.
Modern life in developed countries results in people spending up to 90% of life indoors: at home, school, office, restaurants.
It’s vital that we consider the impact of indoor air quality on our lives and make changes to improve indoor air quality.
Asthma is a common, long-term condition which effects the lungs. People with asthma have airways (or breathing tubes) that are...
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Symptoms of allergy may be exacerbated by poor indoor air quality. For people living with allergy, the main concerns are the impact of poor ventilation and high humidity on house dust mites and mould growth, increased airborne contaminants caused by products used around the home (such as for DIY, building, furnishing and cleaning) and allergens from animals and plants in the home.
Allergens such as mould spores, house dust mites and pet dander are commonplace indoors, causing severe symptoms for those who react to these specific allergens with nasal and/or respiratory symptoms including asthma, as well as with skin conditions such as eczema.
People with perennial allergic rhinitis who react to these indoor allergens can experience hay fever like symptoms all year around.
As common symptoms of an indoor allergy are a runny nose and sneezing, people confuse allergic symptoms with a cold or flu and therefore don’t treat the cause of the problem. People who develop allergies may be likely to develop reactions to other allergens over time. For those with allergic asthma, allergens within an indoor environment can exacerbate their condition.
You can improve indoor air quality and reduce your exposure to indoor allergens, both in the air and furnishings in the home, by taking the following steps:
Reduce the amount of pet dander becoming airborne in the indoor environment by using the following methods:
For more tips to help improve air quality in your home, see our individual guides to each room in the house at www.allergyuk.org.
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