Understanding
Asthma
ABOUT ASTHMA AND ITS SYMPTOMS
What is Asthma?
Do you have a regular cough that just doesn’t want to go away? Do you struggle to catch your breath? Is there a whistling or wheezing sound when you breathe? If you answered yes, these can be signs of Asthma. 1
Although Asthma is a common and long-term condition, understanding what it is and how it can be effectively controlled will ensure you can still do all you have set out to do, and live your life without worrying about the impact of the condition.
Asthma Explained
Understanding Asthma
A common, chronic and variable condition in the airways.
Asthma is a chronic disease (experienced for a long period of time) that affects the airways in the lungs.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Asthma, and it can affect people of all ages. So, the best way to manage Asthma is to avoid triggers, follow your Asthma Action Plan to prevent symptoms and be prepared to treat Asthma episodes if they occur. 2-4
The airways carrying air in and out of your lungs become smaller and smaller as they branch out into the lungs. If you suffer from Asthma, these airways become over-sensitive to certain things (allergens/triggers) that they would not normally react to. When they come in contact with one of these triggers, the airway lining becomes inflamed and swollen and it starts producing a sticky mucus or phlegm. The phlegm then clogs up the already narrow airway, making it very difficult to breathe.
If the swelling is not treated, over time the airway walls may thicken permanently, preventing them from working efficiently. The airway may also react more strongly (such as when they have an Asthma attack) by causing the muscles around the airway to tighten, making the airway even narrower, and this is called “bronchospasm”. 3-5
Asthma can affect people of all ages, and although it cannot be cured, it can be controlled. 2
Asthma Pathology
Treatment
Controllers, relievers, and various devices can assist in the treatment of Asthma.
Symptoms
The symptoms a person with Asthma experiences are generally seen in a pattern – the symptoms may vary over time; they may also change in intensity. A person with Asthma generally experiences more than one symptom at a time; symptoms are often worse at night or on waking, they are often triggered by exercise, laughter, allergens, cold air, pollution or smoke, and they often appear or worsen with viral infections. 1
These symptoms include: 1
Wheezing
Shortness of Breath
Chest Tightness
Coughing
Find out more
Causes of Asthma
To understand why you may have this condition, it’s important to unpack some of the main causes of Asthma.
Diagnosis of Asthma
Sometimes we jump to conclusions when we are not feeling 100 %. The best is to stay calm and allow a professional to do a thorough diagnosis.
