Occupations
If you have developed asthma as an adult, it may have been caused by something at work. Occupational asthma can sometimes take weeks, months or years to develop. Look out for the following signs:
- Your symptoms worsening during the week, at work or after work
- Your sleep is being disrupted because of increased symptoms during the week
- Your symptoms improving when you are not at work (for example when you are on holiday).
- Development of new symptoms of rhinitis, cough, and/or wheeze particularly in non-smokers should raise suspicion.
The major triggers of asthma at work include:
- Chemicals (isocyanates) found in spray-paint, foam moulding, adhesives, and foundry cores and surface coatings
- Dust from flour and grain
- Wood dust (particularly hard wood and red cedar wood dust)
- Colophony (fumes from glues, soldering and floor cleaners)
- Dust from insects, animals and their waste products
- Latex
- Stress
- Tobacco smoke
If you notice anything that makes your asthma worse, discuss it with your doctor and with the Health and Safety Officer in your workplace. Taking action to reduce these triggers, and making your employer aware that your asthma is affected is vital. It is also important that you are referred to an occupational asthma specialist to confirm the diagnosis.
