Did We Visit the Most "Asthma Unfriendly" City?
Traveling can be fun, but traveling when you live with asthma, can quickly become stressful. My partner, who has lived with asthma since birth, decided he wanted to attend a convention in Las Vegas that was specific to one of the industries he works in. We decided to make a little trip out of it, attending the convention and then going rock climbing in the area. At the end of the trip, we were very ready to go home and decided that Las Vegas was one of the most unfriendly cities for those who live with asthma.
Traveling to Las Vegas
We decided to take a flight to Vegas, rather than drive. My partner has had an asthma attack in the airport before, but we luckily had no issues in the airport or on our flight. Most of the triggers we experienced were on the strip and in our hotel. Here are a few of the potential triggers we encountered upon our arrival:
Temperature
Luckily, we visited Las Vegas in February, meaning the temperature was nice and mild. The whole time we were there, the temperature hovered between 55-70, and the air was dry (my partner's asthma is triggered by humidity). If it were summer and in the 90's, this would have been very problematic. My partner believes that he did not have a full-blown asthma attack while on our trip because the temperature was nice, and we had good A/C in our room.
Cigarettes
This could be what makes Las Vegas most problematic for those living with asthma: the amount of cigarette smoke. The hotel we stayed at allowed smoking in the lobby and casino. We rushed through these areas but still were exposed to smoke. People were smoking cigarettes and vape pens all up and down the strip as well. We spent as much of our time as we could climbing outside at the Red Rocks Conservation Area, breathing fresh air.
Perfume and Cologne
It seemed like everyone had doused themselves in a bath of perfume or cologne before leaving their hotel rooms. Mixed with cigarette smoke, this was a constant, very potent combination of smell. We had to take a few Ubers and taxis during our trip and keep the windows rolled down due to the smells of car fragrance sprays. The only time on our trip (surprisingly) where my partner's throat started to constrict was inside an Uber, due to the intense artificial fragrance that had been sprayed inside the car.
Stress
If my partner is stressed, then other triggers seem to affect him worse than normal. Stress itself can also be an asthma trigger for some people. Ironically, I was the one that experienced more stress on our trip, so this factor was less of an issue for him.
Pets
Service animals were of course allowed in our hotel, and we saw a few dogs inside our hotel during our stay. Dogs are not a problem for my partner, but cats are. We did actually see a cat being pushed around in a stroller in our hotel, but luckily it was easy enough to stay away from it.
Considerations, if you visit Las Vegas
First off, Las Vegas is not an asthma-friendly city; if you live with asthma, there are better places to visit (in my opinion!). However, if you have plans to visit Las Vegas (maybe you are visiting loved ones or attending a convention), I would recommend not staying on the strip. There is constant cigarette smoke and a ton of fragrances outside on the strip, as well as inside all of the hotels. I would recommend planning out your trip well to avoid unnecessary stress, and avoiding Las Vegas in summer when it is hottest.
What is the most "asthma-unfriendly" city you have traveled to?
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