Christmas day is now only four days away and when it comes to health,
most people will be primarily concerned with how much stodgy food they
are indulging in for fear of adding an extra few inches to their
waistline.
Perhaps surprisingly though, there are another group of people
besides the weight-conscious who should possibly be concerned at
Christmas time – asthma sufferers.
Comedian, actor and TV Personality Stephen Fry is one of many celebrity asthma sufferers
and Fry will be completely avoiding any festive bubbly with worry that
even one drink could trigger an asthma attack and kill him.
He says: “Christmas parties are generally a lot of fun but I have to
make sure that I avoid champagne because it triggers my asthma symptoms.
People don’t always realise that there are all sorts of different
triggers for asthma, including plenty of things that are in abundance
during the festive season. Champagne can leave a lot of people feeling
poorly the next day but for me it is far more serious because it could
trigger a potentially fatal asthma attack.”
Fry’s comments came in the wake of the charity Asthma UK warning that
approximately 200 people in Britain will require hospital treatment on
Christmas day due to their asthma symptoms. Fry himself experienced a
scary situation last month at a film screening when he was struck down
with an asthma attack, and carelessly did not have a blue reliever
inhaler in his possession, such as the widely used Ventolin Evohaler.
The 55-year old comedian suffered with breathing difficulties and had
to resort to asking surrounding guests if anybody had an inhaler he
could use. Luckily for him, other asthma sufferers at the screening were
not so careless and did indeed have their inhalers. Fry later posted a
tweet on his Twitter account saying: “Just had a surprise asthma attack
at a screening. Got up to ask if anyone had an inhaler, so many hands
went up. Saved.”
As the UK are fully in the midst of a bitterly cold winter, the
decreasing temperatures alone are just one risk factor for triggering an
asthma attack and therefore people are advised to wrap up warm.
However, as the cold winter months mean more people spend larger
amounts of time indoors; this in itself can create a whole new set of
potential asthma triggers that are just waiting to cause problems for
sufferers.
For example, it might sound an exciting prospect giving your child a
new pet puppy or kitten for Christmas, but if your child is an asthma
sufferer then this could be disastrous for their lungs. These animals
shed a high volume of something called ‘dander’ – a combination of dead
skin cells and hair (or feathers) that can bring on asthma attacks and
allergic reactions in those who are sensitive to these allergens. It if
is determined by a doctor that your child’s allergies or asthma is
worsened by dander then you may have to find an alternative home for
your pet.
There are many other factors to consider though at Christmas from an
indoor perspective. Here are some important tips to reduce the risk of
an asthma attack:
. Don’t use artificial snow. Although it looks
festive enough and is aesthetically pleasing, fake snow straight from a
can may unfortunately trigger asthma attacks. Perfumes and scented
candles should also be avoided where possible.
. Don’t stress. The process of buying and wrapping
presents can be a stressing time, and this isn’t even adding on the time
needed to see friends, family and loved ones. Plan your time in advance
in order to relax and not let stress get the better of you as this is
one of many asthma triggers.
. Clean your Christmas tree and decorations.
Artificial trees that have been stored in a dusty attic or damp basement
through the year will gather dust and mould spores – both common asthma
triggers. The process of unpacking the artificial tree out of its box
can stir up all the allergens and create problems. A real tree – bought
as close to Christmas as possible, is advised. However we recommend that
both real and artificial trees should be taken outside and thoroughly
shaken prior to any decorations being put on the tree. If your
decorations have not been stored in a sealed bag, they should also be
wiped down to eradicate dust and mould.
. Be careful about alcohol intake. Some asthma
sufferers find that any alcoholic drink can erupt symptoms in them,
whilst other such as Stephen Fry, find that they could only have
symptoms after consuming a particular drink. Learn from Fry’s
potentially-deadly mistake and have your reliever inhaler on you at all
times.
Medical Specialists Pharmacy hopes we have made you more aware about
the different factors to consider at Christmas if you are suffering from
asthma or allergy problems. We do not want anybody’s Christmas to be
effected through health issues and we hope you take our advice
seriously.
In addition, we advise heading to our ‘Asthma and Allergies’
section of our website where we have a massive range of different
inhalers and medications to ease your symptoms. In fact, many asthma
suffers will also benefit from taking an anti-histamine such as
Loratadine on a regular basis, to act as a precaution to allergic and
asthmatic reactions, even throughout the winter months.
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