Asthma in the UK
Our expert Dr Martin Bell discusses living a normal life with Asthma.
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Transcript
Presenter - Funny you should mention that. Darryl MacDonald wants to know "With over 5 million asthma suffers in the UK" that's I lot I hope that figures correct, "could there be a link between the condition and air pollution? Has anyone ever investigated this?"
Martin - Well yeah lots of people have investigated it actually but no one has proven that that's the case. In fact in North America they did a study on about a 1,000 children and measured the pollution levels in several cities and tried to monitor these children and see if their asthma got worse when the pollution levels were high. And their study basically showed that there probably was. But the word was probably and felt that more studies should be done. So I know we're all very hot on pollution these days and there is that sort of feeling surely it must be something to do with pollution.
Presenter - Yes it's obvious, it must be that but it's not always that straightforward.
Martin - It must be pollution yeah. It isn't that simple and as I say it hasn't been categorically proven that that's the case because I guess it different things for different people. And that's one of the tricky things about asthma is it is so variable one person to another. You know you can't make a hard and fast rule about it.
Presenter - It's quite complicated for a GP then isn't it?
Martin - It can be yeah. It can be absolutely trying to spot it.
Presenter - Trying to sort it out, you earn you money we don't mind that do we? [laugh]
Martin - Absolutely, absolutely.
Presenter - Now Brian Clifton has sent in a question he asks why his asthma is worse in the countryside all year round than in central London. So maybe it's not pollution that's affecting him then?
Martin - Yeah. Yeah. Well I'm glad you asked that question 'cos his question highlights that you see because you know as we've said pollution isn't always the problem and it can be other factors and probably for him it probably is a little bit of hay fever or some allergens some things that are speaking off his allergy in the countryside. So for him it's a bit of an individual thing you know and his question really does highlight that fact that it's multifactorial, different things for different people, it can be weather related, or it can be viral related so
Presenter - Oh right.
Martin - you know it's always so simple.
Presenter - So it's up to you to manage your asthma and to find out what's right for you. Which can be difficult I guess can't it? Especially for children.
Martin - Yes it can be, I mean sometimes it's sort of trial and error. You know you might find that every time you go and visit a particular Aunt who has horses it gets worse you know.
Presenter - Yes you've got to be a bit of a detective then really.
Martin - Exactly sometimes you do have to be a bit of a detective and sometimes it can be very obvious but in other cases it's not so simple.
Presenter - Yes little dust mites and things like that I suppose.
Martin - Yeah well dust mite is a very common problem because you know every household including Buckingham Palace has dust mites.
Presenter - Even the Queen has dust mites?
Martin - Even the Queen has dust mites. Absolutely although I'm sure it's spotlessly clean in there. [laugh] But some people have an allergy to the droppings of the house dust mite and that is a very-very common allergen a very-very common reason for people to get their asthma if they are a bit prone to that sort of problem. And there are measures that those people can take to try and reduce that problem by hoovering their mattress regularly, turning it over regularly, I have even heard that a good way for getting rid of house dust mite is to put your blankets and your sheets in the freezer.
Presenter - Yeah, I've heard that 'cos it's quite good at killing them. You'd have to have a big freezer though to fit your duvet in though wouldn't you?
Martin - Absolutely, that's right.
Presenter - I don't think we'd fit it in our freezer not with all the rubbish I've got in there.
Martin - Those massive great things. [laugh]
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