Asthma and Flying 

No matter how weak or severe your asthma might be, there could always be a problem with drastic clima changes. Especially a cold climate may cause an asthma attack. This will obviously get worse when there is no time for your body to get used to the changes and when the occur suddenly. This of course plays a major role when a patient with asthma and flying is concerned.

It is more likely that people with asthma suffer from altitude sickness than people without this desease. It is also possible that asthma can become worse with altitude, especially if people ascend too quickly or ignore their limitations.

However there are some mesures you can take to avoid the problems arising with high altitudes. If you are fit and healthy with well-controlled asthma and you are willing to accept your limitations you can manage the risk by ascending slowly and adjusting your medicine if need be.

There are some disadvantages and even advantages to the subject asthma and flying which are explained below in more detail:

Asthma and Flying - Disadvantages

Pressurised inhalers can seize to work if used in freezing conditions. You can warm them in the hands before use to prevent this from happening.

The dry and cold condidtions in high altitudes can trigger asthma as well. If this is one of your asthma triggers you should be carefull in decreased air temperatures that occur in high altitudes. Also, climbing can be a very strenuous exercise and this may trigger exercise-induced asthma in some people.

Asthma and Flying - Advantages

People who have problems with house-dust mites can experience a relief of their asthma symptoms as the house-dust mite cannot survive at altitudes higher than 'the snow line'.

If you intend to reach a place at high altitude by plane there would be no time for you to acclimatise and that could cause asthma attacks. The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor in advance of your trip. You can work out a special asthma action plan to increase your normal treatment a few weeks before to have a stronger protection of the airways. This plan should contain the amount of medications needed during your trip or even a measuring peak flow to find out about how your lung functions are affected by altitude.

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Occupational Asthma and Chemcical Causes