From Kathleen MacNaughton, R.N.,
Your Guide to Asthma.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD

Now that you know more about the kinds of things that can act as asthma triggers, your next step is to learn all you can about managing your asthma triggers:

Step 1 — Identify Your Personal Triggers

One way to identify which particular factors are your personal asthma triggers is to start keeping a diary. Whenever you begin to have asthma symptoms or notice them worsening, record what you were doing, eating, and where you were before the symptoms began. Try limiting your contact with a suspected trigger for a few days and see if your symptoms get better. Repeat this plan to help you figure out more of your asthma triggers.

If you want to be even more certain about your asthma triggers, then consult with an allergist or pulmonologist about having allergy testing. This is a type of skin test that can provide information about what triggers reactions in your body.

• How to Track Symptoms and Triggers
• Sample Asthma Diary Form
• About Allergists & Asthma Specialists
• Allergy Testing Overview

Step 2 — Avoid Your Asthma Triggers

The next step in managing your triggers is to work to avoid them. When you are able to avoid contact with your asthma triggers, they have no power over you, and you're much less likely to have asthma symptoms and asthma attacks.

However, avoiding asthma triggers is not as easy as it might sound. The main reason for this is that many of these triggers, especially the allergen type, are almost everywhere in your environment.

Ways to Avoid Your Triggers

• Overview of Trigger Avoidance
• Avoiding Symptoms While on Vacation
• Eliminating Secondhand Smoke in the Home
• Immunotherapy Neutralizes Your Triggers

Sources:

AAAAI, "Tips to Remember: Asthma triggers and management." American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. 2006. AAAAI. 14 Jun 2007 <http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/asthmatriggersandmgmt.stm>.
Asthma Society of Canada, "Common Asthma Triggers." Asthma Society of Canada. 2006. Asthma Society of Canada. 15 Jun 2007 < http://www.asthma.ca/adults/about/triggers.php>.
American Lung Association, "Controlling Asthma Triggers." American Lung Association. 2006. American Lung Association. 15 Jun 2007 <http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35622>.