Asthma and Allergens in Grand Rapids, MI

Living with asthma in Grand Rapids, Michigan means managing symptoms in a city with four distinct seasons, fluctuating pollen counts, lake-effect weather, and a mix of urban and industrial environments. Understanding how allergens and other triggers affect your asthma is essential to staying healthy and active year-round.

Asthma, Atopy, and Allergies

Many people in Grand Rapids who have asthma are also atopic.
Atopy is the genetic tendency to develop allergic conditions such as:

  • Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
  • Eczema
  • Food allergies
  • Hives
  • Anaphylaxis (a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction)

If you are atopic, your immune system is more likely to overreact to substances that are harmless to most people, such as pollen from West Michigan trees and grasses, pet dander, or dust in older Grand Rapids homes.

While allergies often run in families, each person’s allergic responses can be different. One family member may have hay fever, while another has eczema or food allergies.

How Allergens Make Asthma Worse

In people with asthma, the airways are extra sensitive. When exposed to allergens or irritants, the airways can:

  • Become inflamed (swollen and red)
  • Produce excess mucus
  • Tighten due to muscle constriction

Over time, ongoing exposure to triggers can lead to persistent inflammation, which makes asthma symptoms worse and harder to control.

For someone who is sensitive to an allergen, asthma symptoms may occur when they:

  • Breathe it in (e.g., pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander)
  • Eat it (e.g., certain foods, food additives)
  • Touch it (e.g., latex, certain plants)
  • Are injected with it (e.g., medications, insect stings)

This reaction can cause the airway lining to swell and the muscles around the airway to tighten. Eventually, the airway may narrow and cause:

  • Wheezing
  • Coughing
  • Chest tightness
  • Shortness of breath

Common Asthma and Allergy Triggers in Grand Rapids

Everyone’s asthma is different, and so are their triggers. In Grand Rapids, some common triggers include both allergens and irritants, influenced by our climate and environment.

Allergens That Can Trigger Asthma

  • House dust mites – Common in older homes and damp basements, especially during humid Michigan summers.
  • Pollen – From trees in spring, grasses in late spring and early summer, and weeds (like ragweed) in late summer and fall.
  • Mold – Can grow in damp basements, bathrooms, or around Lake Michigan and local rivers, especially after heavy rains or snowmelt.
  • Animal dander – From pets such as cats, dogs, and small mammals.
  • Insect allergens – Including cockroach droppings in some urban housing.
  • Certain foods – For people with food allergies (e.g., nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk).

Irritants and Other Triggers

  • Cold, dry air – A major issue during West Michigan winters; breathing in very cold air can quickly tighten airways.
  • Smoke – From cigarettes, vaping, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, and seasonal wildfire smoke that can reach West Michigan.
  • Strong odors and chemicals – Perfumes, cleaning products, paints, solvents, and industrial chemicals.
  • Air pollution – Traffic exhaust and industrial emissions in the Grand Rapids metro area.
  • Respiratory infections – Colds, flu, COVID-19, and other viruses that are more common in fall and winter.
  • Exercise and physical activity – Especially in cold air or during high pollen days.
  • Weather changes and thunderstorms – Certain types of thunderstorms can stir up pollen and small particles that trigger asthma.
  • Hormonal changes – Such as during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause.
  • Strong emotions or laughter – Can change breathing patterns and trigger symptoms in some people.
  • Certain medicines – Such as some pain relievers (e.g., aspirin, NSAIDs) and beta-blockers, which may worsen asthma in some individuals.

Avoidable and Unavoidable Triggers

Asthma triggers are often grouped into:

Avoidable Triggers

You can usually reduce exposure to these:

  • Cigarette and vape smoke
  • Indoor allergens (dust mites, pet dander, mold)
  • Strong perfumes and chemical fumes
  • Certain foods and medications (if you are allergic or sensitive)

Unavoidable or Hard-to-Avoid Triggers

You can’t completely avoid these, but you can plan around them:

  • Seasonal pollen in Grand Rapids
  • Cold winter air
  • Air pollution
  • Respiratory infections
  • Exercise and physical activity

Exercise is one trigger you should not avoid if possible. Staying active is important for your heart, lungs, and overall health. Exercise-induced asthma can usually be controlled with the right medication and an asthma action plan developed with your Grand Rapids healthcare provider.

Identifying Your Asthma and Allergy Triggers

Knowing what sets off your symptoms is key to good asthma control.

Keep a Symptom Diary

If you think you may have allergies:

  1. Track your symptoms
    Write down:

    • When symptoms start (time of day, season, weather)
    • Where you were (home, work, outdoors, gym)
    • What you were doing (cleaning, exercising, around pets, at a factory or warehouse)
    • What you were exposed to (pollen, smoke, strong smells, dust, foods)

  2. Look for patterns
    For example:

    • Symptoms worse during spring in Grand Rapids → tree pollen may be a trigger.
    • Symptoms worse in your apartment but not when visiting friends → dust mites, mold, or pet dander at home.
    • Symptoms worse at work but better on weekends → possible occupational asthma.

  3. Share your diary with your doctor
    Take your notes to your primary care provider or asthma specialist at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or another local clinic.

Allergy Testing for Asthma in Grand Rapids

Your doctor may recommend allergy testing to help identify specific triggers. There are two main types of tests:

1. Skin Prick Tests

These can be done by your GP or an allergy specialist (allergist).

  • Small drops of allergen solutions (such as pollen, dust mite, pet dander, or mold extracts) are placed on your forearm or back.
  • The skin is gently pricked with a sterile lancet so the allergen can enter the surface layer.
  • If you are allergic, the skin at that spot may:
    • Swell
    • Turn red
    • Form a small itchy welt

2. Serum Specific IgE Blood Tests

These tests:

  • Measure IgE antibodies in your blood that your immune system makes against specific allergens (dust mites, pollens, animal dander, molds, foods, etc.).
  • Help identify which allergens your body is sensitized to.

How Reliable Are These Tests?

  • Skin and blood tests are not perfect for determining asthma triggers.
  • A positive test means your immune system reacts to the allergen, but it does not always mean your lungs will react.
  • Think of these tests as one piece of the puzzle that your doctor uses along with:
    • Your symptom history
    • Physical exam
    • Lung function tests (such as spirometry)

Allergy tests should always be done and interpreted under the guidance of a doctor or allergy specialist.

There are many substances in the workplace that may cause asthma to develop or trigger symptoms in someone who already has asthma.

When to Suspect Occupational Asthma

You may have work-related or occupational asthma if:

  • Your asthma symptoms are worse while you are at work, and
  • Your symptoms improve on weekends, vacations, or holidays

Common Workplace Triggers

In and around Grand Rapids, occupational asthma is more commonly reported in people who work with:

  • Flour or grains – Bakeries, food processing, some manufacturing plants.
  • Isocyanates – Chemicals used in paints, varnishes, and as hardening agents in some industrial products.
  • Wood dust – Carpentry, furniture making, construction.
  • Strong cleaning products – Healthcare facilities, schools, office buildings, hotels.
  • Industrial chemicals and solvents – Factories, auto shops, manufacturing.
  • Animal allergens – Veterinary clinics, farms, research labs, grooming facilities.

If you suspect occupational asthma:

  • Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and job.
  • Ask whether a referral to an occupational medicine specialist in Grand Rapids is appropriate.
  • Discuss possible workplace accommodations or changes with your employer.

Managing Asthma and Allergies in Grand Rapids

Work With a Local Healthcare Provider

Your doctor may:

  • Prescribe medications such as:
    • Inhaled corticosteroids (preventers)
    • Long-acting bronchodilators
    • Reliever inhalers (rescue inhalers)
    • Allergy medications (antihistamines, nasal sprays)
  • Help you develop or update your asthma action plan
  • Teach you how to use your inhalers correctly
  • Advise you on how to reduce exposure to your specific triggers

Make sure you:

  • Continue to take your asthma medication as directed, even when you feel well.
  • Follow your asthma action plan, especially when symptoms start to worsen.
  • Schedule regular asthma check-ups, particularly before and during high-risk seasons (spring pollen, winter cold and flu season).

Seasonal Tips for Grand Rapids

  • Spring and Summer (high pollen seasons):
    • Check local pollen counts (via weather apps or Grand Rapids news outlets).
    • Keep windows closed on high pollen days; use air conditioning if possible.
    • Shower and change clothes after being outdoors.
  • Fall and Winter:
    • Protect your lungs from cold, dry air with a scarf or mask over your nose and mouth.
    • Warm up slowly before exercising outdoors.
    • Stay up to date on flu and COVID-19 vaccines through your local provider or the Kent County Health Department.

Local Asthma and Allergy Resources in Grand Rapids, MI

If you need help managing asthma and allergies, consider these local resources:

  • Primary Care Providers & Clinics

    • Spectrum Health (Corewell Health) primary care and pulmonary clinics
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids clinics
    • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
    • Mercy Health clinics throughout the metro area

  • Pediatric Care

    • Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital (Grand Rapids) – Specialized asthma and allergy care for children.

  • Public Health Support

    • Kent County Health Department – Information on air quality, respiratory infections, vaccines, and community health programs.
    • Grand Rapids Public Health and community clinics – Education and support for chronic conditions, including asthma.

  • Pharmacies

    • Local pharmacies (Meijer, Walgreens, CVS, independent pharmacies) can:
      • Review your inhaler technique
      • Explain medications
      • Help with refills and reminders

If you experience severe breathing difficulty, blue lips or face, trouble speaking in full sentences, or signs of anaphylaxis (swelling of the face or throat, severe hives, sudden drop in blood pressure), call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately (e.g., Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital or Trinity Health Grand Rapids).

Key Points

  • Many people with asthma are atopic, meaning they have a higher risk of developing other allergic conditions such as hay fever, eczema, and food allergies.
  • Identifying and reducing exposure to your allergen triggers can make asthma symptoms easier to manage, especially in a seasonal climate like Grand Rapids.
  • If you suspect an allergy, keep a symptom diary and review it with your doctor.
  • For someone who is sensitive to an allergen, asthma symptoms may occur when they breathe that substance into their lungs, leading to airway swelling and tightening.
  • Without good control, the airways can narrow and cause worsening breathing difficulties, so ongoing management and follow-up with a Grand Rapids healthcare provider are essential.