The smoke released by wood heaters also has a negative effect on asthma patients

Aug 21, 2013 19:31 GMT  ·  By
Asthma patients feel worse after they are exposed to traffic pollution and smoke from wood heaters
   Asthma patients feel worse after they are exposed to traffic pollution and smoke from wood heaters

University of Melbourne

researchers have found that, when exposed to either traffic pollution or to smoke released by wood heaters, asthma patients experience a worsening of their symptoms.

More precisely, it appears that middle-aged asthma sufferers who breathe in exhaust fumes don't take long to feel about 80% worse than they normally would.

Asthma patients exposed to smoke from wood fires, on the other hand, experience an 11% worsening of the symptoms associated with their condition.

“These findings may have particular importance in developing countries where wood smoke exposure is likely to be high in rural communities due to the use of wood for heating and cooking, and the intensity of air pollution from vehicular traffic in larger cities is significant,” Dr. John Burgess commented on these findings.

The researchers recommend that people diagnosed with asthma do not live close to busy roads, and avoid using wood heaters.