Is the Coastal air with High Humidity really better for Asthmatics??

[renobelle]

Hi everyone... I am new here, I have a question. don't want to make this post too long but I was born and lived (50+ years) of my life in an area where the air is thin and dry, I was diagnosed with asthma as an adult (28) after many childhood years of severe allergies. Whilst living in the inland area (with dry thin air) my asthma was reasonably well under control, but 2 years ago I moved with my daughter to the coast and everybody said you will breathe better there is more oxygen... that was not the case... the humidity here in summer is high most times above 75%.. and in the first year I had asthma attacks every night for over 3 months (hottest months). I did see a new doctor here and explained my situation and he just said its my imagination, even contacted my previous doctor who said no the coast is better for breathing. Has anyone encountered the same problems.. Please let me know, It has become so bad that I actually fear summer!

[Gladwyn]

I moved to a seaside village and found my breathing improved so much I hardly ever needed my Ventolin inhaler. I just assumed I was improving until I went for a few days back to town and within a day I was breathless and needing the inhaler. So for me the sea air definitely helped.

[renobelle in reply to Gladwyn]

Thanks glad it helped for you .. how was the humidity at the coast and temperature?

[Gladwyn in reply to renobelle]

It varies according to the time of year. My cottage was just yards from the sea in NE Scotland so you can imagine the variable weather we had. 😱🌝🌦💨🌬🌊🌫

[renobelle in reply to Gladwyn]

I can imagine but I believe the temperature in Scotland is way below the temps in South Africa.. Especially in Durban, where I now live, we have temperature above 30 Degrees Celsius (86 Degrees F) the heat and humidity is choking..

[leo60 in reply to renobelle]

I certainly could not cope with temperatures like that, and with humidity on top of that .......... I would be in the air con all the time! I have severe COPD. Sorry you are suffering like that xx

[Gladwyn in reply to renobelle]

Lol yes it is lower ….. quite a bit lower! I hadn’t realised you were in S. Africa. 😎. Temps like the ones you are living with would suffocate me! I hope you have very good air conditioning.

Best wishes xx

[Bevvy]

I like being by the sea BUT only when heat is dry heat. I find humidity very difficult and like you would struggle when humidity is high. Being by the sea would make no difference to me in those circumstances because of the humidity.

[Solily]

I have allergic asthma and mild COPD . I live in the US near Lake Michigan. Our summers can be very humid. I find on the humid days that my breathing is much worse as the asthma and COPD kick up. Humidity has always caused my asthma to be worse. Do you have seasonal allergies? Right now our mold and ragweed levels are very high and even with allergic meds I feel better in the air conditioning . I hope you find what works best for you!

[Patk1]

I too struggle with humidity.have u tried antihistamines for allergies? Ive recently b prescribed fenofexadine and its helped.yr dr should take your difficulties on board,not accuse u of imagining yr symptoms.i feel4u x

[Collie4]

I have the same problem. I have a second home in Spain near the coast and unfortunately my chest and breathing suffers and i end up on prednisolone. It is because of the humidity and heat, and i am here at present it is very hot and has been very humid. Going up into the mountains helps . So i can sympathise with you. When i’ve been here in the cooler months i don’t suffer much. Hope you can get some relief somehow.

[garibaldon]

I don’t live by the coast but on visits there find the improvement beneficial. Think it’s all that Ventolin enriched sea air. Lol

[Dizzart]

I live by the sea in Norfolk uk and on certain days depending on wind direction, sea mist etc my hay fever is terrible, eyes and nose streaming etc. Pollens cross the oceans and our worst is from European tree pollens from the east so in Africa I have no idea but I do find it is good sometimes and bad others. Clean cold North winds are my favourite for clear lungs . Good luck finding the cause 👍🏻

[Burbagegran]

Hi Renobelle,

I understand exactly how you feel. I think it's the humidity and high temperature combination. That's what does it for me, we moved back here to England twelve years ago after 46 years of living in Melbourne, Australia. The heat factor was one of the things that I couldn't live with in Oz, I was a hermit living and working in air conditioning all the time.

Now I find that the summers here are becoming hotter, I do not move from in front of a fan as I am badly affected. I am stage four COPD by the way.

Apparently we have receptors in our face that help with breathing if a fan is directed towards it.

I hope you have air con at home as this will make a difference as long as its not evaporative as that is not effective in humidity.

Wishing you all the best

Joan x

[renobelle in reply to Burbagegran]

Thank You so MUCH! Best Wished!

[Sops]

I have bronchiectasis and moved to Nigeria to live. The humidity was awful, all the clothes I had taken were useless and a local dress maker made me some ‘sacks’ with elasticated waists, which aided breathing, and allowed some air flow. I found i was exhausted most of the time and breathing was difficult, in the hottest periods which reached 40 degrees. I used to go to the coast at weekends, and found that i was a different person there with energy and enthusiasm, sat in a palm frond thatched hut and watched the lively sea.

Only one room back in our home had an air-con, although we had ceiling fans, but lack of electricity was a huge problem so I lived for these trips, long and arduous, but worth it to watch the waves crash on- shore and breath!!

It was difficult as a woman, hairstyles were non- existent as you were always wet, and make-up on the rare occasions i tried some must rolled off!