• What is asthma?
Asthma is a long-term disease of the airways in the lungs. Its symptoms are caused by inflammation, which makes the airways red, swollen, narrower and extra-sensitive to irritants. This leads to recurrent attacks of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Mild attacks can settle down without treatment, but treatment usually helps them to resolve more quickly. Appropriate treatment can also reduce the risk of further attacks.
• What is inflammation in the airways? How does it affect asthma?
Inflammation is a reaction to infections and other triggers in the lining of the airways . The inflammation makes the airways become red, swollen, narrower and extra-sensitive.
Inflammation of the airways causes asthma symptoms like wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing by restricting or limiting the airflow to and from the lungs.
• Who gets asthma?
Asthma tends to run in families, which means that you are more likely to develop asthma if someone in your family already has it. Children with eczema or food allergy are more likely than other children to develop asthma.
Allergy to pollen, house dust mites or pets also increases your chance of developing asthma. Exposure to tobacco smoke, air pollution or other inhaled irritants can also cause asthma symptoms in those with an underlying tendency to asthma.
• At what age does asthma start?
Asthma can start at any age, although about half of all people with asthma have had their first symptoms by the age of 10, and many children with asthma have had their first asthma attack before the age of 6.
• Is asthma a chronic disease?
Yes. Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways. Some degree of inflammation is usually present, even at times when you are unaware of any symptoms.
If your asthma is untreated, you will have repeated attacks of asthma symptoms.
Mild attacks can settle down without treatment, but treatment usually helps them to resolve more quickly. Appropriate treatment can also reduce the risk of further attacks.
• Is there a risk that my asthma will get worse with age?
Yes.. Poorly treated asthma gets worse with age, and the lungs of people with untreated asthma function less well than those of non-asthmatic individuals. However, regular, preventive asthma treatment can prevent your asthma from getting worse and help to preserve your lung function.
• What are the main asthma triggers?
Different triggers can start an asthma attack and people differ a lot in how easily and how severely they react.
Some triggers only cause tightening of the airways that lasts for just a short time. These triggers include:
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Exercise. |
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Cigarette smoke. |
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Changes in air temperature. |
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Laughing. |
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Strong smell. |
Other triggers also increase the underlying inflammation of the airways, and may have longer-term effects. Such triggers include:
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Allergens (e.g. pets, house dust mites and pollen). |
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Infections (e.g. colds, flu) |
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Certain chemicals |
• Can infections trigger asthma?
Yes, viral respiratory infections, such as colds or flu, can trigger asthma symptoms, particularly in children. Try to avoid contact with people if you know they have a respiratory infection.
• Can asthma medication help prevent asthma symptoms?
Yes. Asthma medications include very effective airway openers. Even more importantly, they include very effective controllers like inhaled steroids, which can prevent most asthma attacks when used regularly.
• Is it good for people with asthma to exercise?
Yes. Physical exercise is a common trigger of asthma symptoms, but like other individuals it is important for people with asthma to exercise. With the right medication, most people with asthma will be able to do some kind of physical exercise, many will feel no restrictions.
• What climate is best for a person with asthma?
No specific climate is ideal for all people with asthma, since there are so many triggers for symptoms and these factors differ from person to person. If you move to another area, triggers in the new environment may provoke your asthma symptoms more or less than where you lived before. The levels of many allergens are lower at higher altitudes (e.g. in mountainous areas), and this may be beneficial if you have known allergies to pollens or dust mites. Generally less polluted climate is better for such people.
• Are relaxing exercises good for my asthma?
Everyone needs to relax sometimes. Learning techniques of relaxation and breathing may help you to avoid feelings of panic during an asthma attack. |
