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Asthma is a common long-term condition that causes breathing difficulties. It affects people of all age groups and usually starts in childhood, however, it is also possible to develop asthma as an adult without any previous history of asthma. People who have asthma are known as asthmatics
When an asthmatic is subjected to a trigger (something that sets off breathing difficulties such as exercise, pollen, dust etc), it causes the airways to react in three different ways:
These three processes combine to reduce the size of the airway, making it difficult to breath, causing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and a feeling of tightness within the chest.
There are many things that can cause such symptoms, however they are likely to be asthma if they happen in response to a trigger (such as exercise, exposure to dust or smoke etc.), if they are worse at night and early in the morning and if symptoms happen quite alot and come back regularly.
It is unclear what the cause of asthma is and why some people have asthma whilst others don't, but it is thought that it is due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Asthma can be diagnosed by asessing symptoms, when and how often they happen, what triggers them, if you have any other conditions such as eczema or allergies or if you have a family history of asthma.
Simple tests involving breathing into instruments (spirometers or peak flow meters) to asses how well your lungs are working may also be performed to confirm diagnosis. Sometimes you may be asked to take home a small device known as a peak flow meter and record your results on an asthma diary. This helps doctors to confirm diagnosis.
Whilst there is no cure for asthma, there are ways to treat and control asthma and prevent it from affecting your daily life.
Reliever inhalers (blue inhalers)
These inhalers are given to all asthmatics. They are used when symptoms start to affect you and you can feel your chest getting tight or experience difficulty in breathing. They work by relaxing the muscles around the airways, so that your airways expand making breathing easier. The usual dose is 1-2 puffs when required, which should provide relief after a few minutes.
Preventer inhalers (brown inhalers)
These inhalers are to be used every day and contain a steroid which helps to manage and control the inflammation and swelling of your airways. Continued use of this inhaler decreases the airways sensitivity to triggers, helping to keep asthma under control.
These inhalers are usually prescribed to those whose asthma is not well managed. They usually contain two ingredients:
Tablets may be needed if your asthma is very severe uncontrolled by inhalers alone.
An asthma attack is when your symptoms of asthma suddenly worsten. The muscles around your airways tighten, the lining of the airways become swollen and more mucus is produced. This makes it hard to breathe.
The best way to avoid asthma attacks are:
Signs of an asthma attack include the following:
If you are having an asthma attack, you should: