Asthma and reed diffusers

I have asthma and they don’t affect me.

Haven't had exposure to them, but wondering if the oil burners at yoga have contributed to my congested lungs lately.

In fact I forgot to add oil burners to my list of triggers! Asthma's a tricky one, such an individual thing.

They don't bother me, but asthma can be triggered by numerous things, so what makes mine worse won't necessarily apply to all asthmatics. It's really annoying when people tell you that X or Y doesn't affect asthma as you wheeze and struggle for breath.

I am ok with the natural oil diffusers which do not contain chemicals, but the cheaper end of the market make me wheeze and tighten my chest.

The same for candles and oil burners / oil pods I know the ones I am comfortable with and avoid all the others wherever possible.

(I am extremely allergic to shake and vac it has put me in hospital on several occasions. I only use eco cleaning products to minimise the chemicals in the home)

Reed diffusers affect me, though they are not as bad as air fresheners or incense.

I’m badly affected by artificial fragrances: scented candles, reed diffusers, air fresheners, body sprays, hair spray …. I could go on.

Two weeks ago the death of my mother promoted the worst asthma attack I have had for years. It happened just a very few hours after she died.

Many perfumes affect me including Shake n’ Vac, air fresheners (they certainly don’t freshen air) cigarette smoke, any sprays such as polishes, deodorants etc and a whole host of other things. Plus emotions.

What’s a reed diffuser?

Thank you for your responses - all very helpful.

maddyone it's a bottle of perfumed liquid with pieces of sticks like skewers placed into the opened bottle. The liquid soaks into the sticks and thereby diffuses into the room.

My OH is affected by scented candles, diffusers and worst offender of all air fresheners. It doesn’t matter whether “natural” or not, just the burning of them causes fumes.

Many home products seemto have artificial fragrances added these days, from cleaning products to washing powders. It has been proved that chemicals in cleaning products mean often air quality in homes can be at toxic levels.

I’ve noticed that some hotels and pubs have some sort of electronic devices that pump out a “fragrance” every few minutes. Smoking must have covered all other stinks before ?

When my husband was diagnosed with COPD, I was told not to use any sprays of any kind, candles - anything that would release particles into the air.

It is probably the atmosphere within the salon that affects you as the door is open, can you cover your mouth and nose with a tissue/mask when you pass?

I have asthma too and can’t use any perfume, especially flowery perfume .

'It is probably the atmosphere within the salon that affects you as the door is open, can you cover your mouth and nose with a tissue/mask when you pass?'

Their door is always open (we've been neighbours for five years) and this is a new reaction for me, which is why I'm sure it's the diffusers which they have just started selling. I'm on crutches and there is a security gate to manage - it wouldn't work to be holding a tissue up every time I go in and out. Also, I work making items from a back room near the salon and the fumes are floating into there.

Well I'm glad they agreed to move them Mizuna, I hope you continue to be wheeze free. My aunt is 85 and has asthma, it's so dangerous when you can't get your breath.

Candles, reed diffusers, air fresheners will kill parrots quite quickly. These things can also be an issue for dogs and cats. I was concerned about my youngest grandchild as DD was using some - he developed skin rashes and she stopped using them and rashes cleared up. I really feel for folk who have breathing issues.

Thank you Razzamatazz, they're nice people and we have a good relationship. It is kind of them to consider my needs. Our shared building has two flats above two shops, all owned by the same landlord, and we all work at getting on with each other, which is why I want to really make sure I'm coming to the right conclusion.

Oldbat1, yes I'm concerned for animals and children too, with the things they are breathing in. Those silly TV adverts encouraging us to think our houses smell awful and also need mega-disinfecting really irritate me!

I have COPD and cannot tolerate any kind of air fresheners except, funny enough, reed diffusers.Unfotunatly just the more expensive ones!.The cheap ones affect me badly.
The worst triggers for a bad attack are sprays, a certain popular floral disinfectant, various cleaning fluids and as a PP mentioned earlier shake and vac.
I used to love perfume, but since I got diagnosed, cannot tolerate any of it even the expensive ones.I also loved the smell of incense in church, but not now,I have to run outside at the sight of the swinging censor. I might have it used at my funeral, but then I might start coughing in my coffin and frighten everyone!

Although I'm fortunate enough not to have asthma, I can't stand the smell of these horrible diffusers or any of the "air fresheners". In my case it's just a strong dislike, but I do feel for those of you who have physical effects from them. What is the point of them anyway?

There was a perfume called Sunflowers which made me lose the ability to breathe. Several of the ladies that I worked with loved it and I used to take a breath and try to hold it while I walked past them.
There is a candle shop in Chester that I am unable to walk past.

Certain plant aromatics affect my breathing and I have asthma. I notice it especially when I am close to certain plants such as ivy and some subtropicals on a warm day. Maybe some volatile oils are similar.

I'm what my one time doctor called a brittle asthmatic meaning that I reacted very quickly and severely to many triggers. More recently I've seen a specialist, who found that my asthma was not being properly controlled with the usual drugs. I now have a drug called Xolair which I inject twice a month. I live in France and when prescribed drugs are given out by the pharmacie the cost is recorded on the prescription. The cost of this drug is a little under 900 euros a month but it is working.I would recommend that any one who is a severe asthmatic looks into it.

Thank you for all your comments; they've helped me realise more than ever how different our reactions can be, and that's been very useful when speaking to my neighbour about what I can tolerate.