Preventing Asthma Attacks with a Shower Filter

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people, including young children. There are various environmental stimulants that can cause allergies and bring on an asthma attack, including dust, mold, pet hair, pollen, cigarette smoke, chemicals and other air pollutants. While there is currently no known cure for asthma, the disease can be managed with home products and controlled with medication to reduce both the frequency and severity of attacks.

Pollutants That Can Trigger an Asthma Attack

While airborne pollutants are commonly known to trigger asthma, a lesser known fact is that chemical pollutants present in tap water can also bring on an asthma attack. Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect drinking water to kill bacteria and other parasites. However, chlorine reacts with organic matter to form chloroform, which can be released in steam and is a potent irritant that causes the air passages to constrict. This can cause respiratory problems, including asthma, when vapor or steam from a hot shower or bath is inhaled by sensitive people prone to allergic reactions.

Removing Chlorine from Water

To reduce chlorine in your shower water, a Berkey shower filter is a simple fix. Less chlorine in the shower is easier on skin, hair and eyes.

Chlorine in swimming pools is also known to affect swimmers suffering from asthma. If a member of your family is asthmatic, consider switching to a non-chemical method of pool sanitation, that removes the need for chlorine treatment.

Improve the Air You Breathe

Now that the water in your shower has less chlorine, you need to focus on the air that your family breathes. If you have an asthmatic member of the family, try to avoid the use of harsh chemicals and aerosols in the home, and make the home environment a smoke-free area. Consider fitting your home with an air-purifier to remove air pollutants that can irritate the lungs and respiratory passages, bringing on asthma in sensitive individuals. In addition, make sure carpets are vacuumed regularly to remove dust and pet hair that can cause allergies, and that showers, baths and basins are free from mold, which can release spores that can cause respiratory irritation.

Find the Trigger

If you or a member of your family suffers from asthma, try to take note of environmental conditions or factors that can bring on an attack. Try to single out factors that may trigger an asthma attack by recording, and removing, certain stimulants that could be responsible.