How People With Asthma Can Travel Safely?
Posted on 06. Feb, 2011 by Matthew Hallett in Health
These are two common ways to travel
Car: When you’re inside a car, don’t dangle outside the window. It is important to keep all car windows rolled up, especially if you are driving through a badly polluted area, a big city, or a place with high-density of airborne pollen. It is important to set off very early when traveling with car. There will be far fewer trucks and cars on the road that can foul the air with exhaust fumes. And, surely, no one should be allowed to smoke cigarettes in the car. It is a good idea to bring a portable nebulizer with you which can be plugged into the cigarette lighter.
Airplane: The air in planes is infamous for being incredibly dry and may be filled with recycled microorganism. In fact, research has confirmed that some of the worst concentrations of animal dander and dust mites are found inside the airplanes, due to sealed environments and reused air that is rarely filtered. Each planeload of travelers adds to the existing microscopic bug population. To keep the nasal membranes moist, you should use a saline nasal spray regularly. This will make you feel better after a long flight. Drink enough water during the flight and it can help lessen the risk of an asthma problem and minimize jet lag.
At the hotel
You should know the location of the nearest hospital and it is a good idea to choose a hotel with an in-house doctor. Turn on the shower if the hotel room is dry, it will fill the room with water vapor and make your sinuses moist, so you don’t have to keep squirting that saline nasal spray.
If you have got allergic asthma and you are sensitive to pollens, you should know that pollen counts are very high in the morning, so you need to begin your day indoor.
Things to consider
Winter vacation: Winter can be especially challenging for those with allergic asthma, because so many things come out of basements and attics and they are often loaded with mold, mildew, and dust. There can be thick dust on leaves the old Christmas tree or moldy logs stacked up at fireplaces. Some people are sensitive to smoke and breathing wood stove and fireplace smoke can trigger allergy symptoms. People sensitive to smells can have trouble with the bayberry, pine, strongly scented potpourri, air fresheners and candles that are often used on winter holidays.
Camping: Of course, there’s nothing like surrounding yourself with the nature. But for those with asthma, snuggling beside the Mother Earth also will expose you to outdoor mold and pollen, inhalation of bonfire smoke, and so on. Of course, asthmatics avoid camping and hiking when the pollen count is high. And because campgrounds are usually far from urban centers, always bring along plenty of medications, especially rapid-acting rescue medications.
Sports: Incorporating a sport activity you like with a vacation can be an amazing experience, and there is no reason you can’t take part in physical activities that you love. However, if you want to go tobogganing, ice skating, snowboarding, or skiing; remember that frigid air can trigger asthma attacks. Combining a cold-weather sport such as snowboarding often means you are at high altitudes, which can make your situation worse.
Sometimes, some sports, like scuba diving, are just really unsafe for people with asthma. Try to imagine having an asthma flare 35 feet beneath the surface, there’s no way you can use the rescue medication, and it is likely that you won’t be able to make a fast ascent to the surface. People with asthma who want to scuba dive must be mentally and physically fit. In fact, certain countries prohibit scuba diving and other water sports for people with asthma. Those with frequent symptoms or with airway obstructions can make their situation worse by scuba diving. But then, asthmatics who have good pulmonary functions and only a few flares, may take part in any diving activity with consent from a health professional. And it is usually safer to take off your scuba tanks and put on a snorkel gear, you can still enjoy the ocean floor without the need to dive and more importantly you’re practically floating on the surface the whole time. If you’re planning to ride a horse on your vacation or if your family will go to a dude ranch vacation, you should know that you’ll be exposed with a good deal of allergens. If you’re planning to hike, particularly if you’re in very rugged terrain or in the high mountains, make sure you are physically capable of dealing with the challenge. A heavy-duty hiking, like a long walk on Grand Canyon could be challenging for those with exercise-induced asthma, especially if they’re not well conditioned for very challenging physical effort. If you want to climb up the mountain, you need to take special care once you’ve reached the 5,000 feet, an altitude where the thin oxygen level begins to affect your body. In general cool and dry air combined with arduous work of climbing to a high altitude can make an asthma flare more likely. But luckily, there are fewer allergens on those barren terrains.
Crossing time zones: Crossing many time zones in a single day is possible if you’re going to the other side of the world on an airplane. Jet lag shouldn’t be your only worry here, you need to make preparation in dealing with time differences and also figure out your medication schedule. Ask your doctor, on how to set up a safe and effective schedule.
Allergy shots: If you need to take allergy shots regularly, it can be tricky if you are going to travel to other country for more than a month as continuing the treatment is highly important. If this is your situation, check with the doctor about a recommended hospital or physician in your destination area. Make sure that allergy vaccine is available in your destination area. However, it’s a good idea to get allergy shots at maintenance doses before traveling. If you’re visiting a distant country and you are required to carry the allergy extracts, make sure the label is marked clearly.
