Top Cities that Can Trigger Asthma and Asthma Attacks

Do you have asthma? Do you wonder if you live in a city that may be hard on your asthma? Do you wonder if this city has the worse triggers that can produce more asthma and asthma attacks?

Of course, most people realize that asthma is considered a chronic disease. It is also a disease that can make breathing harder because it literally cuts off one's airways. Estimates show that 1 in 15 Americans has asthma.

Research also proves that there are some cities that are worse to live in than others if you have asthma. The reason being is that some cities have more pollution and more irritants than others do. It is not surprising that The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America does a yearly study to see which cities ranks the highest in being more challenging to live in if you have Asthma. This year's study was called: "2011 Asthma Capitals."

The "2011 Asthma Capitals" study looked at a variety of factors such as: the amount of air pollution within each city, pollen scores within the city, the amount of people affected with asthma, the number of people who had to use rescue inhalers, the poverty level of the city, and the smoke free laws of the city.

The following were the top ranking, worse cities to live in if you had asthma:

• 1. Richmond, Virginia: Richmond earned the top honor of the worse city to live if you have asthma. It has a high pollen count, a poor air quality score and a high amount of poverty among its residents. It also has a high overall air pollution score and the city is poor when it comes to smoke free laws.
• 2. Knoxville, Tennessee: Knoxville has poor air quality scores, incomplete smoke free laws and average rate when it comes to the residents using asthma related medication.
• 3. Memphis, Tennessee: Memphis has poor air quality scores, high poverty rates and poor public restrictions on smoking.
• 4. Chattanooga, Tennessee: Chattanooga has poor air quality scores, poor smoking laws and above average asthmas related deaths.
• 5. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Tulsa has high pollen rates due to the dry air. They also do not have enough asthma specialists and their residents take a large amount of medicine each year. Plus, their smoking laws need improvement.
• 6. St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis has high pollen rates, poor air quality scores and poor smoking bans.
• 7. Augusta, Georgia: Augusta has poor air quality scores, incomplete smoke free laws, high asthma related deaths and a high poverty rate.
• 8. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Virginia Beach may be known for its beautiful beaches. But it also has poor smoke free laws, high pollen scores and poor air quality ratings.
• 9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia had high air quality and pollen scores.
• 10. Nashville, Tennessee: Nashville won the last ranking number because of their air quality scores.

As for the city that is the best to live in if you have asthma, that honor went to Portland, Oregon. It has the lowest pollen scores, the best air quality scores,

What should you do if you live in any of these cities? Talk to your doctor about your asthma, consider all your treatment options, pay attention to the pollen scores and understand when they are their highest.

Sources:

webmd.com