Asthma - geographical

[chrisyd1021]

My husband has chronic asmtha.  It has been suggested by friends that the best place to live would probably be in area like Nevada, or Arizona.  Is this true? Could living in a specific area help people who are struggling with chronic asthma?

[National Jewish]

When people move to a new area, they may have less problems with their asthma.  This is called the honeymoon phase, which may last up to one year.  After the honeymoon phase, your husband may start to have problems with his asthma again.  Instead of moving, we recommend that people with asthma learn what triggers their asthma.  Since asthma triggers vary from person to person, this is something that needs to be done on an individual basis.  Then you and your husband can focus on finding ways to decrease or keep him from being exposed to those things.  Please read our What Makes Asthma Worse MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/worse.html for more detailed information.

[starion]

WELL--maybe.  If the patient has ALLERGIC asthma, like many of us, if he can live somewhere which does NOT have things he is allergic to, it CAN improve his asthma and lung function.  Unfortunately, our allergies can change over time & it is sometimes hard to know for several years whether we will develop new allergies to our new location.
In general, many folks find a milder climate (not TOO hot, not too cold--just right--like the 3 bears) is helpful, as well as drier rather than humid.  
Does he have allergies and allergic asthma?  Does he appear to be better when he's in different climates?  A prolonged visit to anywhere you are considering living may be useful in helping you decide.  Best of luck!
Aloha,
Starion

[chrisyd1021]

My husband explains that allergies and asthma go hand in hand. His asthma attacks are not triggered by his allergies.  What affects his asthma is generally cold air or high humidity.  We live in North Dakota so the cold air is around for six to seven months. He has a tough time shoveling snow or doing anything outside.  During the summer, the heavy humid air affects his breathing, so on these days, he spends limited time with the kids outdoors. The seasons alone can have drastic temperature changes from 100 degrees below, to 100 degrees above. There is also the sports induced asthma, he has compromised with this and limits his activity to baseball, now. In the eight years that we have been married, I can see his quality of life slowing down. As for the allergies, he claims he can handle that. What bothers him most,(sinuses) is during the harvest and planting seasons.  We live in the city, but it still affects him.  We have no pets, no plants, no fireplace.  It just seems like he is miserable 12 months out of the year. He seems to have gotten used to his symptoms over the past 15 years, but I just think he could do better.  Thanks for the advice.