More than 25 million people in the country struggle with asthma, which causes breathing difficulties. Whether one has lived with it since childhood or developed it later in life, one must monitor symptoms and avoid triggers to manage the disease better. As asthma is a condition that can affect everyday life, it’s suggested to seek medical advice about the possibility of uncontrolled asthma as well. This article will enlist cities with the most asthma cases.

What is uncontrolled asthma?
In most cases, asthma patients can control their symptoms and lead everyday lives. Some symptoms troubling the patients include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. However, in rare cases, these asthma symptoms may become uncontrolled, decreasing the patient’s quality of life and leading to medical emergencies. In such cases, it’s vital to notice signs of trouble and seek the advice of a doctor as soon as possible. Here are some signs to look out for.

• Occurrence of symptoms more than twice a week
• Low peak flow measurements
• Coughing at night

What are the causes of uncontrolled asthma?
When one has asthma, it is important to be aware of all the possible triggers – behavioral and environmental, as they can exacerbate the symptoms and lead to an asthma attack. Some potential triggers that could lead to the attack are tree pollen allergies and exercise. However, many other causes are either less obvious or misunderstood. Furthermore, it’s possible that some treatment alternatives may only treat the symptoms. Hence, it is suggested to understand the underlying condition to breathe better. So, here are some surprising causes of uncontrolled asthma.

Another health condition aggravating the asthma
Healthcare professionals suggest that certain health conditions can make asthma and its associated symptoms worse. Although allergies are considered to be the most obvious answer, another health issue such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can also aggravate asthma. Furthermore, some sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea might also be contributing to asthma, as the condition causes a blockage in the upper airway while one is asleep.

Strong emotions
People with anxiety disorders often have panic attacks that can trigger asthma attacks due to hyperventilation. However, these strong emotions do not need to be attributed to any particular disorder to contribute to asthma symptoms. The emotions include being stressed, crying, or even laughing. These emotions cannot be avoided at all times, however, one can take a few steps to reduce stress such as relaxation techniques, getting adequate sleep, and other lifestyle modifications.

Changes in weather
When one goes from a place with warmer weather to colder weather or from drier air to humid air, it can trigger asthma and its associated symptoms. This may happen due to sudden changes in the environment, which are potential asthma triggers. While one can’t control the weather, they can try limiting the time spent outdoors. Additionally, while living in cold places one can cover their nose and mouth with a scarf. This will help warm up the air that is being breathed into the lungs.

What are the cities with the most asthmatic emergencies?
Multiple cities all over the country may have high pollution levels and a lack of effective medical care. Hence, there are chances that these factors may contribute to the development of asthma. In some cases, it can even worsen symptoms and lead to asthmatic emergencies. Therefore here are some of the cities with the highest asthmatic emergencies and their contributing factors.

Detroit, Michigan
One of the most difficult places to live with asthma is Detroit, Michigan. Furthermore, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) named Detroit one of the most challenging places to live with asthma in 2022. This may be due to the fact that Detroit ranks the third highest in the country for asthma cases and eighth highest for asthma-related deaths. Moreover, the city is also in the top 25 cities for asthma-related visits to the emergency room. Some factors contributing to Detroit’s ranking are high rates of poverty and low air quality in the area.

Cleveland, Ohio
Another city that has the highest rate of asthma-related health conditions is Cleveland, Ohio. This means the city has high levels of asthma cases. Furthermore, Cleveland has high levels of asthma-related deaths and high rates of asthmatic emergency room visits. The factors contributing to such elevated levels of uncontrolled asthma include high levels of ozone pollution and a high poverty rate in the area. Hence, making the city one of the most challenging places to live with asthma. Moreover, these factors may even contribute to reduced outcomes for asthma care.

Allentown, Pennsylvania
In the year 2021, Allentown ranked first in AAFA’s most challenging cities for asthma patients. However, now it ranks the third highest on the list. Quite similar to other cities on the list, this ranking is due to high levels of asthma cases in the area. Additionally, the AAFA suggests that Allentown records the second highest level of emergency visits due to asthma in the report. In addition, some factors that contribute to such high levels of asthma-related issues may include the effects of pollen that can trigger asthma attacks and cause other health conditions.

Conclusion
While asthma rates can be higher in a few cities all over the country, not everyone living in these areas develops asthma and its associated symptoms. However, it’s imperative to know the factors that may contribute to the condition to maintain health. Further, one must also keep in mind that the factors that affect one person may differ from the other. Hence, if one has concerns about asthma, its contributing factors, or even the prevalence of asthmatic symptoms, one must contact a healthcare professional for early diagnosis and opt for personalized treatment advice.