Overview
It is important to know what things make your asthma worse. These are called asthma "triggers." Avoiding them is your first step toward feeling better. The most common asthma triggers are respiratory tract infections caused by viruses such as the flu, common cold, and other viruses. Other triggers are cold and dry air, mold, pets, dust, grasses, pollen, cockroaches, odors from chemicals, and smoke from cigarettes.
Review Date 2/3/2024
Updated by: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.