“Freedom is strangely ephemeral. It is something like breathing; one only becomes acutely aware of its importance when one is choking.”
William Simon
Through the centuries of mankind’s existence, this truth has been proven time and again. Freedom is often assumed in American society: freedom to walk unmolested in one’s community, freedom to buy and sell, freedom to travel, worship, seek nourishment, and most imperative of all human needs, the freedom to breathe. Giovanni Papini proclaims, “Breathing is the greatest pleasure in life.” Unfortunately, for some individuals, breathing is the greatest struggle in life. The profoundly exhausting struggle to breathe is frequently exacerbated by one’s environmental exposures to fumes and chemicals, including the widespread societal saturation of chemical fragrances, as well as fresh blacktop, smoke, etc. Respiratory distress due to chemical pollution may be a challenge for travelers, but ones awareness of, preparation for, and avoidance of these triggers can help tremendously.
To understand the need to educate oneself and fellow traveling companions, one must first have a basic understanding of asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory condition wherein the airway’s bronchial tubes inflame, constrict, and spasm resulting in excessive mucous production, coughing, wheezing, impaired airflow, and reduced oxygenation of the bloodstream. Acute episodes of respiratory distress are referred to as asthma attacks. The state of experiencing a severe, life-threatening asthma attack that is resistant to medical treatment is referred to as status asthmaticus. There are two types of asthma: intrinsic or allergic asthma and extrinsic or non-allergic asthma. Asthma attacks can be triggered by allergens such as eggs, bee venom, and mold, as is the case with intrinsic asthma, or by environmental pollutants such as fumes, smoke, chemicals, and numerous other particulates in the air, as in extrinsic asthma. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are currently 17.7 million adults and 6.3 million children in the United States diagnosed with asthma.
It is important to know every asthmatic is a bit different in what triggers their asthma attacks. For one it may be peanuts only. For another it may be a host of particulates, as the particulates, themselves, are the trigger. Knowing an asthmatic’s triggers is key to avoiding them when traveling. Secondly, having a treatment plan when airways react to triggers is essential. Treatment plans are developed between the patient’s physician and the patient. Commonly included are bronchodilator medications delivered via inhaler or nebulizer and inhaled steroids to reduce inflammation in the airways. In more severe asthmatics, oral or injectable corticosteroids and epinephrine may be utilized to open airways. Travelers should familiarize themselves with nearby medical assistance locations when traveling, should it be needed. Future What a WanderFull World blog posts will include more information about specific triggers and ways to avoid them when traveling.
