Early detection of occupational asthma is vital to prevent its further progression and to ensure cost-effective management. Effective management includes quitting smoking, pulmonary rehabilitation and reduction of personal exposure to noxious particles and gases. A focus on these can reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and increase physical fitness.

Those with lung disease may experience increased symptoms when air pollutant levels are high in the air. Remain alert to take measures and protect your lungs.

We can’t avoid all the pollutants all the time, but there are simple things we can do to minimize our exposure:

• If your house is near a garage or heavy vehicle traffic, make sure you don’t let exhaust fumes enter your house.
• Minimize your exposure to strong chemicals by replacing the lids on solvent containers securely and disposing off used rags in a sealed container. Don’t mix any chemical solutions at home.
• Ozone levels, in particular, tend to go down with the sun. Refrain from exercising outdoors when levels are high. Exercising causes you to breathe faster, which means you take in even more pollutants than during normal activities.

Making your environment suitable for healthier lungs

Reduce air pollution on the road:

• Avoid using cars for short journeys
• Try to walk or cycle instead of using the car
• Try to use a bus or an autorickshaw, if possible
• Drive smoothly (you will save fuel and pollute less)
• Maintain your car by keeping the engine properly tuned and tyres at the right pressure.

Reduce air pollution at home and in office:

Ventilation- Open a window to get fresh air in and stale air out or put a fan in a window, drawing air out and open another window to increase air circulation. This could be just for a few minutes several times in a day during the winter months, and only slightly open during the summer.

Some tips:

• Use exhaust fans in high moisture areas such as the bathroom, locker room, laundry and kitchen. Remember to open a window whenever you are staying in these areas for any length of time.
• Ceiling fans are a good way to increase circulation, but don't forget to clean them regularly.
• In cases of hotels and hospitals, do not line-dry laundry indoors.
• Keep carpets and bare surfaces free of dust by drying them in the sun and dusting them with a thick brush.
• Cooking and running water produce enough humidity in the home on a daily basis. If you install a cooler then you need to be careful, especially during the rainy season if a person is suffering from bronchitis or asthma.
• Do not use angithis as heating devices in closed rooms.

Fuel

• Never burn plastic or rubber
• Ensure that you pollute the minimum by using alternative (less polluting) fuels such as electric power and natural gas.
• Make sure that gas flames are burning blue on your cooking burner.

Construction, painting and cleaning materials –

• Use water-based solvents or paints, varnishes, glues and wood preservatives.
• It is advised to choose safer construction and furnishing materials as well as cleaning liquids.
• Control fumes and dust during remodeling by conducting work when the office or home is unoccupied.
• Provide exhaust fans or fume hoods and personal safety equipment in labs and art rooms.
• Go into details - Use water-soluble markers and non-solvent cleaners on white boards.
• Examine your furniture to determine whether it is made of plywood, fibreboard, or particleboard for evidence of a pungent gas such as formaldehyde. Also, check your carpet, upholstery, and draperies for any pungent odors.

Consumer products and appliances

• Use consumer products like perfumes and deodorants judiciously as they may may emit aerosols and harmful hydrocarbons. Aerosol products aggravate the irritation for people with respiratory problems. Therefore, use roll-on deodorants and non aerosol pump sprays. If an air freshener is needed, use a "solid" type product.
• Appliances have many parts that collect dust and other indoor irritants, so give them a thorough cleaning as often as needed. Be sure to include these parts when cleaning: coils on the refrigerator, furnaces and ducts.
• Sensitive babies can inhale the talc from the powder (if in excess), possibly causing respiratory problems, and the fragrance from the powder can be irritating in itself.
• Household chemical cleaners – You may use baking soda or vinegar and water as household cleaners. Don't use pesticides yourself! Assign this task to a professional exterminator and be sure to leave the house for the recommended period of time.

No smoking

Allow no smoking in your house. If someone does want to smoke, kindly ask them to step outside to your verandah or main gate.

Household plants, mould and mildew

• Household plants are a major source of moulds because plant soil is usually damp.
• Be aware of bushes and trees located next to the windows where you sleep or sit frequently. They encourage dampness and mold growth that may finally lead to allergies.
• If you have tiles in your bathroom, wash the dirt out frequently.
• Check any place that moisture accumulates- in the basement, garage or store room.
• In your kitchen and bathroom, use sheet vinyl instead of vinyl squares for the floor to avoid dampness and growth of moulds.