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Although it is not clear why asthma occurs, we do know that there are some things in the environment that can trigger an asthma attack. It's important to remember that every person's asthma is different. Some people react differently to different triggers. The more common triggers are:
- Colds and flu
- Cigarette smoke or exposure to cigarette smoke, (i.e. passive smoking)
- Exercise/activity
- Inhaled allergens (e.g. pollens, moulds, animal dander and dust mites)
- Environmental factors (e.g. dust, pollution, wood smoke, bush fires)
- Changes in the temperature and weather
- Certain medications (e.g. aspirin)
- Chemical and strong smells (e.g. perfumes, cleaners)
- Emotional factors (e.g. laughter, stress)
- Some foods and food preservatives, flavouring and colourings