Exposure level at work can determine your risk of developing occupational asthma. To reduce your risk try: removing or reducing exposure to anything causing irritation. Avoiding any known allergies. To avoid smoking or being in areas where others are smoking. Seeking advice from occupational health or Health and Safety Executive. Using protective clothing or equipment.
There are 2 categories: 1) Occupational asthma Defined as variable asthma with symptoms linked to an irritant found in the work environment but not to causes out side the workplace or at home. This also falls into 2 types: Where there can be a delayed reaction, of a few days to years, before symptoms appear, […]
These are the common symptoms of asthma. Some people will experience a mild form while others may have symptoms which will require urgent medical attention: Chest tightness. Breathlessness. Wheezing – listen to an audio clip (YouTube). Persistent cough. Night time breathlessness or symptoms which are worse at night. Silent asthma – some people have no […]
Asthma can affect people of any age Adult onset (sometimes called ‘late onset’) asthma is the term applied to asthma occurring for the first time in adulthood. Some adult onset asthma is related to triggers in the work place and is called occupational asthma. Long standing asthma is a term sometimes applied to having asthma […]
Diagnosis is based on : Good history taking, to find any relationship to work exposure and symptoms. The history can be more useful in excluding Occupational asthma. Any current medical problems. Current medication. Initial screening for Occupational asthma involves the use of Peak flow and peak flow diary recording over an extended period of time. […]
1 in 6 people of working age who develop asthma have work related asthma. This includes new onset asthma or a re-occurrence of pre existing disease. This is the commonest occupational lung disease in westernised countries. The incidence is dependent on the job environment and the hazards there is exposure to. There may be clusters […]
The exact cause of asthma is unclear. It is thought genetics together with certain environmental factors may play a role in whether someone develops asthma.
