Spring is arriving and with it comes bright flowers, warmer weather, and for some, greater challenges living with a lung condition. When it comes to living with COPD or bronchiectasis, the changing of seasons can trigger flare-ups. You may see spring as the time of year when you experience an increase of exacerbations, heightened allergies and feeling more fatigued.
While it may feel as though determining what triggers a flare-up is still a struggle, Lung Foundation Australia has some tips to help you maintain your lung health during spring.
Maintain adequate indoor air quality
It is always better to prevent flare-ups than to use medications after they have arrived. A healthy indoor environment with low allergen level helps to prevent allergies and airway inflammation. Your indoor environment and what air flows through your home, can impact your triggers for lung irritation.
Check your home and office for irritants that may trigger this spring.
Follow the weather forecast
Whether it’s hot or cold, rainy or windy, it is important for people living with a lung condition to take note of the weather forecast. Sudden changes and extreme weather conditions may cause a flare in your lung health symptoms. The weather experts often report on high pollen in the air, which for many can be a trigger.
While the forecast isn’t always accurate, being prepared can help you avoid tricky situations.
Learn about outdoor air pollution
Outdoor air pollution refers to harmful particles and gases in the atmosphere, which are released from both man-made and natural sources. Air pollution can worsen symptoms for people living with a lung condition such as COPD or bronchiectasis. Stay informed about outdoor air pollution trends and what may affect you or your loved one.
Maintain a healthy diet
Maintaining a nutritious diet helps your lung health all year round, but if spring triggers your condition, this is especially true. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits (eg. bananas, spinach, cabbage) helps to reduce the risk of lung inflammation. This is due to the high antioxidants contained in these foods.
Fibre is also important for your condition. Research suggests a high fibre diet can help prevent reductions in lung function. It can be found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and wholegrain foods such as brown rice, oatmeal, and couscous.
Avoid triggers
If possible, identify your triggers. For some people, triggers could be pollen or dust. For others it could be cigarette smoke. Once you’ve determined what triggers worsen your COPD or bronchiectasis, make a list and, if possible, avoid them. Think about where they are likely to be and plan your days around these.
Talk with your doctor
It’s important to talk to your GP or lung health specialists to maintain your lung health this spring. If you have seasonal allergies, which are very common, they will be able to assist you with the best ways to cope. They may suggest some options to help you avoid flare-ups. These include:
- Using your inhaler device more often during peak allergy season
- Getting an allergy test to see which allergens trigger your flare-ups.
Follow your action plan
When completed with a health professional, your COPD Action Plan or Bronchiectasis Action Plan will help you to recognise the early signs of a flare-up (exacerbation). It will then provide you with the steps you should take to help manage it.
These action plans also help your family members know what actions you need to take in an emergency. This resource should be filled out and reviewed regularly by your healthcare team. Spring is a great time to ensure it is up to date.
Keep your inhaler close
It is always wise to carry your inhaler with you, even if you are not experiencing feelings of a flare-up. During the spring, it’s even more important if you are taking preventative medications. Better to be safe than sorry, so carry your inhaler with you this springtime.
Practice mindfulness
This spring, consider practicing mindfulness to reduce stress and anxiety caused by flare-ups. Lung Foundation Australia’s Mind Matters series, takes you through some self-kindness and compassion practices. These can help you when you are having a tough day brought on by stresses caused by spring flare-ups.
The season of spring brings us many wonderful things nature can offer us. These tips above provide you with the tools to maintain your lung health during springtime and determine whether your symptoms need higher levels of care.
The Respiratory Care Nurse telephone service is available for people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or bronchiectasis. Our skilled nurse can provide guidance on all aspects of your condition according to the management guidelines. The Respiratory Care Nurse aims to connect you with the information and support to live well with your lung condition.
