How does outdoor air pollution affect your respiratory disease?

[DavidEFA]

EFA has been working with the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) in recent weeks specifically on the topic of outdoor air pollution. We wonder if, as patients of asthma, COPD and respiratory allergies, you can notice a direct impact of poor outdoor air quality on your quality of life? If so, please explain how!

[Hidden]

It's pollen that affects me the most but I do remember when I lived in London (left 20 years ago) that I'd get a sore throat from driving across from the north to the south west of the city.

But as I mentioned, because I live in the countryside now it's mainly pollen and dust that are the problems on the whole.

I've got a strong feeling that if I lived in a polluted area, my asthma would be a lot worse. Certainly in winter, when people are using their fireplaces (wood), my asthma reacts badly.

This forum is rather dead by the way. I joined a week or more ago and there have been practically no posts since then.

koala

[DavidEFA EFA in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your quick reply. We definitely appreciate all your posting activity since we launched our community!

Unfortunately I do not have any colleagues dedicated to our communications and it has already taken us quite some time to build up our social media presence over the past year. While you are right, we have a slow start here on HU, we are learning as we go and optimistic to find more time and interesting topics to raise for discussion in the future.

[Hidden in reply to DavidEFA]

You could always give me a part time job and I'll do the communications part if you like haha.

I know quite a lot about asthma and allergies having had them most of my life, then I can speak several languages too if required.

koala

[Riverfrog]

Hello yes I have asthma and COPD, I live in the country and manage to keep the Asthma under control with the inhalers. That is until I go into the city, there is an immediate effect on my lungs if I walk in traffic especially in summer when the cars are going slowly because of traffic problems.

I get a dreadful tightness of the chest and wheezing, my chest stays pretty bad for a week after. Needless to say I try to avoid the city.

[Rastagilly]

Hi David

I live in Bristol, right next to a dual carriageway and also a busy main road that joins the dual carriageway - it does affect my breathing as the pollution from cars is constant & my windows are always grimy. At the moment I am staying in Derby with my daughter and the air quality is a lot better here and therefore my breathing is better!

[Hidden]

I have severe COPD, and cannot abide to travel into towns or cities due to traffic fumes which adversely restricts my breathing. Living rurally, bbq's, bonfires and crop spraying are the only other irritants which seem to snatch the air away from me, and close down my airways.