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?

Inflammation is a reaction to infections and other triggers in the lining of the airways and the underlying tissue. The inflammation makes the airways become red, swollen, narrower and extra-sensitive.

How does inflammation of the airways affect my asthma?

Inflammation of the airways causes asthma symptoms (wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing) by restricting or limiting the airflow to and from the lungs.

It does this by causing:

●	swelling of the airways, which makes them narrower
●	tightening of the muscles that surround the airways, which makes them even narrower
●	the production of too much mucus, which can ‘plug up' or block the airways
●	longer-term damage to the walls of the airways, which prevents them from opening as widely as a normal airway.
●	When the airways have been inflamed for a long time, they become extra-sensitive. This means that they react faster and more strongly to various triggers, such as allergens, viruses, dust, smoke and stress.

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.

What causes asthma?

The causes of asthma are not fully understood. Asthma is probably usually caused by a mixture of hereditary factors (those you are born with) and environmental factors, but how these factors work together is still largely unknown. Allergens from house dust mites and pets are the most common causes, but many other allergens, such as pollen and moulds, can cause asthma. Some patients with asthma have no obvious allergies.

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, that risk cannot be disregarded. Poorly treated asthma gets worse with age, and the lungs of people with untreated asthma function less well than those of non-asthmatic individuals. Modern asthma treatments have not been available for long enough for us to be certain whether or not lung function will still deteriorate more rapidly in people with treated asthma as they grow older. However, most asthma doctors think that regular, preventive asthma treatment can prevent your asthma from getting worse and help to preserve your lung function.

Is it worse getting asthma when you are old?

Not necessarily, but asthma is often more severe if it starts at an older age. In addition, an older person with heart disease or other medical problems may have more difficulty in dealing with an asthma attack than a younger person. What is called ‘asthma' in elderly people is sometimes actually chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a collective name for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, two diseases that are almost always caused by smoking. Many of the symptoms of COPD are similar to those of asthma (e.g. breathlessness, wheezing, production of too much mucus, coughing). COPD is generally a more serious disease than asthma, because the changes in the airways are much more difficult to treat, and it usually has a worse outcome. Unfortunately, COPD can cause greater long-term disability and have a greater effect on the heart and other organ systems than asthma.

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 (also called ‘inciters') only cause tightening of the airways (bronchoconstriction) that lasts for just a short time. These triggers include: exercise cigarette smoke changes in air temperature laughing strong smells Other triggers (also called ‘inducers') also increase the underlying inflammation of the airways, and may have longer-term effects. Such triggers include: allergens (e.g. pets, house dust mites and pollen) infections (e.g. colds, flu) 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 (inhaled steroids), which can prevent most asthma attacks when used regularly. Is it good for people with asthma to exercise? Yes. Even though physical exercise is a common trigger of asthma symptoms, it is just as important for people with asthma to exercise as for anyone else. Keep in mind that it takes time to get in shape and you lose fitness quickly when you stop exercising regularly. With the right medication, most people with asthma will be able to do some kind of physical exercise, many will feel no restrictions, and some will only react to exercise in combination with other triggers.

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

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.

Can I have pets even though I have asthma?

If you have asthma and are allergic, you should not buy a pet. If you have asthma but no signs of allergy, and do not get any obvious symptoms from your pet, it is probably all right to keep it, but bear in mind that it will contribute to the amount of dust in the house.