Asthma

What is asthma?

Asthma is a condition which can be serious, and it needs to be managed with the right medication. It causes the airways in your lungs to swell and tightness in your chest that makes it more difficult to breathe.

Minor cases can be a nuisance, but more severe cases may be life threatening. There’s currently no cure for it, but inhalers can prevent or relieve symptoms, so asthma can be well-managed without disrupting your life most of the time.

How common is asthma?

More than 25 million people in the US have asthma,^[1]which equates to about 8% of the population. Worldwide, it’s thought to affect more than 300 million people, and be prevalent in 4.5% of the global population. It’s more common in developed countries, but the prevalence of it is increasing in less developed countries too.^{[2], [3]}

You’re more likely to have it as a child than during adulthood, but you can still develop it when you’re a bit older. It affects more boys than girls in early childhood, but this gender ratio switches amongst adults.

Some people grow out of asthma, but it’s normally a long-term condition if you get it as an adult.

Are there different types of asthma?

Yes. There are several different forms of asthma that you can develop. Allergic asthma is caused by allergic reactions to specific substances. Adult-onset asthma first presents in adulthood, while childhood asthma occurs when you’re a child.

There’s also occupational asthma, which you can develop in the workplace (usually due to an allergy), and nocturnal asthma (which occurs at night). You can get acute or chronic asthma, seasonal asthma (which occurs at certain times of the year) and exercise-induced asthma, too.

There’s a rare type of asthma called eosinophilic asthma, which is when your body produces too many white blood cells.^[4] Eosinophil counts measure the number of white blood cells in your body and can help monitor the condition.

Eosinophilic asthma usually starts in adults between the ages of 35 and 50. We’re still learning about the condition, but it can’t be easily treated with many of the usual medications. Corticosteroids seem to be the best treatment for most people.

What causes asthma?

While we know what can trigger an attack, the root cause of asthma isn’t entirely clear.

Genetics, the environment, and the relationship between these two factors are thought to play a role.^[1] Asthma rates have also risen in urban areas in the past few decades, which has led some to suggest that air pollution may contribute towards it.^[2]

Respiratory infections and physical activity are also linked to asthma attacks, but it can be triggered by many factors, which vary from one person to the next.

What to look out for with asthma symptoms?

Moderate asthma symptoms include wheezing, coughing and chest tightness. These can be easily treated with the right medication. Severe asthma attack symptoms include being too breathless to speak, dizziness, blue fingers or lips, and fainting.

It’s only when asthma symptoms develop into an asthma attack that you should seek immediate medical help, especially if you don’t have your inhaler with you. Severe asthma flare-ups can be tackled with a rescue inhaler that eases symptoms very effectively. It’s important that you always have your asthma treatment with you.

How long does asthma last?

Asthma’s a lifelong condition and there’s currently no cure. Thankfully, it can be well managed with easy-to-take medications that have few side effects. Mild symptoms may only last for a few minutes, whilst more severe symptoms can persist for longer.

Asthma breathing difficulties are the most likely symptoms, which can be alarming when they’re severe. But the good news is that there is medication that can treat these symptoms immediately.