Lots of things can trigger an asthma attack, but one of the most common causes is odor — anything from the heavy scent of perfume to a household cleaner.
Sondra Justice is a 60-year-old retired postal worker from Philadelphia, and for her, lots of odors are dangerous: aerosol cans, certain charcoals and cleaners, "even mixing bleach in water irritates my throat," she says. If Justice smells any of these things, it can bring on an asthma attack. Her airways constrict, and breathing becomes shallow and difficult.
