You may wonder if your asthma is caused by your occupation. According to the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology, there are some ways to tell if it is work-induced.
- Did your asthma start when you changed jobs or started a new job?
- Does your asthma improve when you are away from your job?
- Do chemicals and other conditions at your workplace make it difficult to breathe?
According to OSHA, occupational factors are associated with up to 15 percent of disabling asthma cases. Triggers may include chemicals used in manufacturing; paints; cleaning products; dust from wood, grain, and flour; latex gloves; certain molds; animals; and insects. Factors that increase the risk for developing occupational asthma include existing allergies or asthma, a family history of allergies or asthma, and cigarette smoking.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the following workers are at increased risk of developing occupational asthma:
Bakers
Detergent manufacturers
Drug manufacturers
Farmers
Grain elevator workers
Laboratory workers (especially those working with laboratory animals)
Metalworkers
Millers
Plastics workers
Woodworkers
If you suspect your allergy is work-related, ask for OSHA safety literature that describes possible work-related problems. Review and make available to your allergist the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each chemical to which you’re exposed at work.
It is important to visit an allergy doctor. Your doctor should take a medical history and review your family background. You should be able to explain your job conditions, such as exposure to fumes, gases, smoke, irritants, chemicals, and potential allergens. You should also discuss environmental conditions, such as heat, cold, or dryness, as well as any manufacturing or processing conditions to which you are exposed. You should discuss asthma attacks: how often they occur and the duration. Your doctor may perform lung function tests, such as spirometry (a quick and painless test that measures airflow). Your allergist may perform skin tests and order chest X-rays and blood tests. If indicated, aerosol challenge studies may be considered.