Asthma
Asthma is a disease of the airways, the small tubes which carry air in and out of the lungs. When you have asthma symptoms, the muscles in the airways tighten and the lining of the airways swells and produces sticky mucus. These changes cause the airways to become narrow so there is less space for air to flow into and out of your lungs.
Asthma symptoms include:- Coughing
- A tight feeling in the chest
- Wheezing; whistling noise when breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Struggling to breathe
These symptoms are often worse at night, in the early morning and/or during exercise.
Asthma symptoms in children may also:
- Reduced intake of food and/or drink
- Crying
- Stomach ache and vomiting
- Become tired quickly, particularly when running and playing
Common Triggers
There are many different triggers for asthma. These can be different for different people.
The most common asthma triggers include:
- Allergy triggers, e.g. house dust mites, pollens, pets and molds
- Cigarette smoke
- Viral infections, e.g. colds and flu
- Weather, e.g. cold air, change in temperature, thunderstorms
- Work-related triggers, e.g. wood dust, chemicals, metal salts
- Some medicines
Asthma that is triggered by exercise may be helped by medication and/or warm up exercises.
