{"id":9080,"date":"2020-03-05T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T15:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=9080"},"modified":"2024-05-20T11:08:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T15:08:38","slug":"cold-induced-asthma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/cold-induced-asthma\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get a handle on your asthma when it\u2019s so cold out"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the more than<\/span> 25 million Americans<\/span><\/a> with asthma, frigid temperatures can cause respiratory issues\u2014whether it\u2019s the dead of winter or a snowy spring.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In addition to respiratory infections like colds and the flu, dry, cold air can lead to airway narrowing, which triggers an asthma attack. When you breathe in frosty air through your mouth, it isn\u2019t warmed up in your nasal passages. This inhaled arctic blast travels straight into your lungs, causing coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Asthma statistics<\/b><\/a> | <\/b>Asthma attack triggers<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is cold-induced asthma?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cold-induced asthma\u2014sometimes called winter asthma, or cold weather asthma\u2014refers to the respiratory tract irritation from icy temperatures during the winter months. When airways spasm, asthma symptoms are harder to control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does cold air make me cough?<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cCold weather is amongst one of the toughest non-allergen triggers to treat for those that live in cold areas,\u201d says<\/span> Laren Tan, MD<\/span><\/a>, a pulmonologist at Loma Linda University Health Advanced Lung Disease Center. \u201c<\/span>Cold air can dry and irritate the airways; as a result, there is increased inflammation of the airways. Inflammation of the airways induced by cold air often leads to increased mucus production and hypersensitivity of the airways. These airway changes then lead to cough, breathlessness, wheezing, and chest tightness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The branch-like <\/span>airways<\/span><\/a> that bring air to the lungs are called bronchial tubes\u2013they divide into smaller passages called bronchioles, which are attached to tiny air sacs called alveoli. Asthmatics airways don\u2019t function optimally and the lungs can become inflamed. When exposed to a common asthma trigger like <\/span>cold air<\/span><\/a>, the airways narrow, making it harder to breathe, causing wheezing and asthma attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, late winter and early spring pollens can travel through the air on windy days, further exacerbating the symptoms of asthma sufferers. <\/span>\u201cIn March, we see tree pollen, and if spring comes early, we see weeds and grasses,\u201d says Karen Berger, Pharm.D., a member of the <\/span>SingleCare Medical Review Board<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAllergies and asthma often occur together in a patient, so pollen can make you feel symptoms of both. Your immune system releases chemicals, which can cause nasal congestion or runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and skin reactions, and for some people, this reaction also can affect the lungs and cause symptoms of asthma. Many people can have several asthma triggers, such as pollen, cold weather, medications, or stress.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of cold-induced asthma<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cold air<\/span><\/a>, especially when it\u2019s accompanied by dry or windy conditions, can bring on asthma symptoms, especially if you’re breathing through your mouth. The worse your asthma is in general, the more likely you are to experience asthma flare-ups with symptoms such as:<\/span><\/p>\n