Asthma is a common condition that affects many people. But some people are born more likely to get it when asthma ‘triggers’ occur. The number of people getting asthma is now increasing all over the world, especially in children and young people. There are about 5.2 million people in the UK affected by asthma.

What are the signs and symptoms of asthma?

The symptoms of asthma are coughing (often at night), wheezing and being short of breath with a tight chest. You don’t need all these symptoms to have asthma, but some people may get them all at once.  Lots of things can trigger asthma:

• When it’s very cold
• If you’re feeling stressed or even laughing!
• Pollution and dust mites
• Colds and infections
• Exercise
• Pets or other animals
• Pollen, mould and fungi
• Smoking

What causes asthma?

People get asthma when something irritates their airways (the tubes that take air in and out of your lungs). The airways then become inflamed and the muscles around them get tighter. This makes it harder to breathe and creates the asthmatic  ‘wheezing’ sound.

How is it normally diagnosed and treated?

Asthma is diagnosed by looking at all your symptoms. There are also some simple tests doctors can use like looking at your lung function. Asthma is treated in two ways. There are medicines you take in an inhaler (puffer) to prevent asthma from happening. There are also medicines that help you at the time when you get an asthma attack (reliever inhalers). These quickly relax the muscles surrounding your airways. This means the airways get wider, making it easier to breathe again.

How can it be prevented?

Preventer inhalers which are usually brown, red or orange and are given to lots of people with asthma, but not everybody. The preventer inhaler works (it usually contains a low dose of steroid medicine) by controlling the swelling and inflammation in the airways, reducing their sensitivity and therefore the risk of serious attacks. Preventers do not give relief straight away when you are breathless, they just help with reducing inflammation in the long-term. You need your reliever inhaler if you are having an attack.  Preventers are usually brown, red or orange inhalers. It’s important to remember that one of the best ways of controlling your asthma is avoiding your triggers.

When should you seek medical help?

If your asthma does not get better as soon as you take your reliever inhaler (this is usually blue) keep taking a puff every minute for five minutes or until your symptoms improve. If after five minutes, the attack has not eased then you need to call or doctor or call 999 straight away. It’s important to keep taking a puff of your inhaler every minute until you get medical attention.

What will help me feel better?

Making sure you always have your reliever inhaler with you will give you more peace of mind. This is especially if you are doing some form exercise. Letting  people know you have asthma when you exercise is a good idea too.

Looking forward

Asthma cannot be cured but it can be treated well. This means the symptoms should not cause too much bother. Some young people with asthma will actually grow out of it. Severe asthma attacks can be very serious, but only if they are not treated quickly.

For more help and information

If you would like to know more about asthma please ask your doctor or visit Asthma UK

Last reviewed by Great Ormond Street Hospital: 11 May 2006

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