Asthma
Understanding your airways, triggers and how to stay in control
Asthma is a common long-term condition that affects the airways in the lungs. It causes the airways to become inflamed and narrow, making it harder to breathe. Around 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma — roughly 1 in every 12 adults and 1 in every 11 children.
What happens in asthma?
In asthma, the airways are chronically inflamed, which makes them sensitive to certain triggers. When exposed to a trigger, the muscles around the airways tighten, the lining swells, and extra mucus is produced — all of which narrow the airways and cause symptoms. The severity of asthma can vary greatly from person to person and from day to day.
Common triggers
Asthma triggers vary between individuals, but common ones include pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mould, cold air, exercise, respiratory infections such as colds and flu, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and certain medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Stress and strong emotions can also trigger symptoms in some people. Identifying and avoiding your personal triggers is an important part of managing asthma.
Recognising the symptoms
The main symptoms of asthma are wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing), shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing — particularly at night or early morning. Symptoms may come and go, and can range from mild to severe. A severe asthma attack is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. Signs of a severe attack include difficulty speaking, lips or fingernails turning blue, and a reliever inhaler not helping.
Treatment and inhalers
Most people with asthma are prescribed inhalers. A reliever inhaler (usually blue) is used when symptoms occur — it works quickly to relax the muscles around the airways. A preventer inhaler (usually brown or purple) is used every day to reduce inflammation and prevent symptoms from occurring. Using your preventer inhaler consistently is the most important thing you can do for long-term asthma control. Your doctor or nurse will work with you to find the best combination of treatments, and should give you a written Personalised Asthma Action Plan.
Living with asthma
With good management, most people with asthma can live full and active lives. It is important to have your asthma reviewed regularly — at least once a year — so that your treatment can be adjusted if needed. Always carry your reliever inhaler with you. If you are using it more than three times a week, your asthma may not be well controlled and you should speak to your GP. This content has been prepared following careful evaluation of current guidance to ensure accuracy. Asthma + Lung UK provides excellent support and information for people living with asthma.