Poor air quality can damage our health, especially that of the respiratory tract.
Poor air quality can damage our health, especially that of the respiratory tract.
The causes of asthma are not yet fully known. It is a reaction that can be allergic in nature, but which is also influenced by genetics and, above all, by external environmental conditions. First of all, pollution.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a respiratory disease that causes acute episodes with difficulty in breathing.
These crises manifest themselves with:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
- cough
- chest tightness.
Ask for free advice from a doctor right away
There is no definitive cure for this disease, but it can be controlled by reducing the number of seizures through proper therapy.
Asthma crisis and pollution
Factors that can trigger an asthma crisis include:
- allergies
- fluor colds
- stress
- strong emotions
- excessive humidity
- sudden change in weather conditions, such as sudden heat or cold
Ask for free advice from a doctor right away
To these is added also the pollution; in fact, it seems that poor air quality increases the risk of respiratory crisis.
This was demonstrated by a group of researchers from the Mario Negri Institute in a study recently published in the journal Environmental Research from which it emerged that, in correspondence with peaks of smog, the consumption of anti-asthma medicines seems to increase proportionally, thus showing increased asthma attacks.
Chronic pollution and inflammation
The reason poor air quality increases the risk of developing asthma is in particular due to fine particles from car exhausts and heating systems.
These micro-particles, inhaled through the breath, are deposited in the lungs and can be absorbed by the body, reaching the bloodstream. The result is a series of cascade reactions, which cause inflammation and irritation of the tissues, first of all those of the respiratory system.
The state of inflammation, in turn, can trigger asthma episodes in patients already suffering from this disease or can increase the risk of asthma occurring for the first time even in people who have never suffered from it.
“Killer” pollution
Pollution kills 40,000 people every year: this is supported by a report produced in the United Kingdom by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, according to which the pollutants present in the air of our cities, both outside and inside home, put our health at risk. In fact, not only the risk of asthma increases, but also that of developing other diseases, such as cancers , type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
The “green” can help
After analyzing the frequency of asthma attacks in children living in different areas of Baltimore for a year, a group of American researchers concluded that green parks help fight asthma. In fact, it seems that asthma episodes were less frequent for those children who lived near a park or a green area.
The reasons could be two: on the one hand, plants in green areas improve air quality and, on the other, those who live near a park have more opportunities to stay outdoors and exercise than those who live in a heavily industrialized area.