Asthma triggers are as individual as children themselves. When exposed to an asthma trigger (an allergen or irritant), the airways and lungs of people with asthma react with a cascade of symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. If your child is diagnosed with asthma, you’ll work closely with your child’s doctor to pinpoint his or her personal asthma triggers.

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Ever watched a tight-rope walker? Providing support for a spouse with severe persistent asthma (or any chronic disease) can feel like tightrope walking. Acting on your concern about your loved one without taking over his or her health care unnecessarily is a balancing act of sorts. The good news is that you can keep your balance, especially with a safety net of knowledge to support you. Start by learning about your spouse’s asthma medication.

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It’s possible to prevent an asthma episode from becoming a medical emergency, simply by staying calm and knowing how to respond. Instructions for early intervention in a worsening asthma episode can usually be found in your spouse’s asthma action plan. It takes the guesswork out of the situation and provides direction during a potentially frightening time.

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With its subtropical climate and lush vegetation, the sultry Southeast offers travelers with allergies a number of trigger-avoidance challenges. However, if holiday visits to family and friends are bringing you to the Southeast, rejoice. Late fall (November and December) may be the only time you can successfully avoid airborne pollens. The following seasonal guidelines can help you plan your vacation to avoid the allergens and irritants that trigger allergies in this region of the country.

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Painted desert skies. Stark, barren landscapes. Red mountains rising like clay monuments. Few vacation spots on earth are as dramatic as the American Southwest. With the exception of agricultural areas and urban landscapes full of nonnative plants, this region’s generally sparse vegetation provides a measure of relief for the pollen-allergic all year long. Moderate to dry Southwestern winters are also largely free of the mold and mildew spores common to wet winter climates in other regions.

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Before allergy treatment can begin, the problem allergen must be identified. Allergens that are present all year usually provoke the year round symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis. On the other hand, pollen is usually the allergen that triggers seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

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When it comes to treating allergies, avoiding your triggers is the best medicine. But that’s not easy when what makes you sneeze is a beloved pet. If finding your pet a new home isn’t an option, talk to your doctor about treating your symptoms with medications or allergy shots.

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The results of your sleep study are in. Diagnosis: sleep apnea. If lifestyle changes don’t help this medical problem, or if your symptoms are severe, your doctor may prescribe a treatment called nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). In this treatment, you wear a mask to keep your airway open during sleep. CPAP is the most effective treatment for sleep apnea, according to a 1999 study in the journal American Family Physician. In fact, it works in more than 80% of cases.

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If you have asthma or allergies, a couple of hours on a plane can give new meaning to the term airborne allergens. The threat of noxious irritants and triggers can make air travel feel like torture, but it doesn’t need to be. You can still avoid your triggers even when you yourself, not just the allergens, are airborne.

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Does 15 minutes of running in gym class leave you coughing and wheezing, with shortness of breath, tightness in your chest, and a killer headache? You may have exercise-induced asthma (EIA), asthma triggered by physical activity. And you’re not alone. Researchers at the University of Colorado have found that as many as nine out of ten kids with asthma list exercise as one of their triggers.

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