Even more exasperating than the number of symptoms is the number of asthma triggers people with asthma face, respondents reported. Almost all surveyed identified triggers for their asthma, with the average number noted being 12. The top triggers cited were all identified by 50 percent or more: respiratory infection (82 percent); smoke from cigarettes, cigars, or pipes (76 percent); outdoor allergens (grass, pollen, mold – 73 percent); cleaning products (70 percent); and extreme weather changes (69 percent). Avoiding many of these triggers is extremely difficult, making it even harder to control asthma. Fifty-one percent of respondents said they wished they knew more about how to avoid triggers at diagnosis.

“Managing triggers can be overwhelming. The first step is to identify what triggers your asthma, which may be different than what triggers my asthma,” said Asthma.net patient contributor Lorene Alba, AE-C.  “I was diagnosed with asthma in college, and in the 20-plus years since that diagnosis, no doctor has ever taken the time to explain triggers and the importance of reducing them. It’s one of the reasons I changed careers and became an asthma educator, so I could provide much needed education on asthma self-management to those living and struggling with asthma.”

Dealing with the plethora of symptoms and triggers is difficult. Managing asthma requires more than just medication – it requires lifestyle changes. Ninety percent of respondents report carrying rescue medications, a lifestyle change they had to adopt once diagnosed. Additional lifestyle changes noted in the survey results include: extra hygiene measures (81 percent), managing allergies (74 percent), avoiding outdoor pollutants (57 percent), and managing indoor air quality (54 percent). Avoiding outdoor air pollutants was reported as the most stressful lifestyle change.

“An asthma diagnosis can really force a change in lifestyle. The world often feels like a maze of triggers we have to navigate on a daily basis. Outdoor triggers can be challenging to avoid; such as smog, smoke from fires, pollen, and much more,” Alba added. “In addition, people with asthma will often stop participating in physical activity and being less active can have negative effects like weight gain or feeling depressed.”

In addition to these changes, asthma also impacts other lifestyle elements. Many respondents reported having to cut back on participating in hobbies and activities. Thirty-one percent said their ability to exercise was extremely negatively impacted by asthma.

The impacts of asthma are certainly not limited to activities and the physical. Asthma can also have a substantial impact on a person’s relationships with others. Eighty percent report asthma negatively affects their social relationships to some extent. In addition, seventy percent said it negatively impacts their relationship with their partner and 62 percent noted it negatively affects their relationship with their child/children.