Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties. There's currently no cure, but there are simple treatments that can help keep the symptoms under control so they do not have a big impact on your life.
Symptoms
- A whistling sound when breathing (wheezing)
- Breathlessness
- A tight chest, which may feel like a band is tightening around it
coughing
Triggers of asthma
- allergies (to house dust mites, animals or pollen, for example)
- smoke, pollution and cold air
- exercise
- infections like colds or flu
Complications of asthma
Badly controlled asthma can cause problems such as:
- Feeling tired all the time
- Underperformance at, or absence from, work or school
- Stress, anxiety or depression
- Disruption of your work and leisure because of unplanned visits to a GP or hospital
- Lung infections (pneumonia)
- Delays in growth or puberty in children
- Risk of severe asthma attacks, which can be life-threatening
Treatment
Asthma is usually treated by using an inhaler, a small device that lets you breathe in medicines.
The main types are:
- Reliever inhalers – used when needed to quickly relieve asthma symptoms for a short time
- Preventer inhalers – used every day to prevent asthma symptoms from happening
Several conditions can cause similar symptoms, so it's important to get a proper diagnosis and correct treatment.
Adapted from Asthma
