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Our FAQs address detailed and common questions about asthma, especially for those with long-standing conditions. If you still have unanswered questions after reviewing this portal, feel free to contact our team at contact@euforea.eu. Please note that we cannot answer personal inquiries.
Asthma is a long-term (chronic) condition that affects the airways (the breathing tubes in your lungs). It causes three main changes in the airways: inflammation of the inner lining of the airways, tightening of the muscles around the airways, and extra production of mucus. People with asthma can get symptoms like wheezing, breathlessness, a cough or a tight chest. Sometimes symptoms can get worse quickly. This is called an asthma attack or asthma flare-up.
Some people with asthma don’t realise they have it. They may think they just keep getting repeated chest infections or colds, when in fact, asthma could be the real cause.
No, asthma is not a psychological condition. Some people think this because stress or strong emotions can sometimes make asthma symptoms worse. But asthma is a physical health problem affecting the airways in your lungs. The airways become swollen and narrow, making it hard to breathe. While feelings like stress can trigger symptoms, they do not cause the disease itself.
Asthma is a common condition, affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. Over the past few decades, the number of people with asthma has increased. In high-income countries, asthma rates seem to be levelling off or even slightly decreasing. However, in many low- and middle-income countries, asthma is still on the rise — likely due to factors like air pollution, urban living, and lifestyle changes.
Some people are more at risk of developing asthma. You’re more likely to get asthma if you have food allergy, eczema (atopic dermatitis), hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or if these conditions or asthma run in your family.
Exposure to smoke, air pollution, household chemicals, or irritants at work can also increase the risk — especially in people who already have an underlying tendency to develop asthma. Certain viral respiratory infections in early childhood may also increase the chance of developing asthma. Children with a higher weight and adults are also at a higher risk.
Asthma often starts in childhood and can continue into adulthood or disappear only to recur later. Some asthma develops in adulthood — this is called late-onset asthma. Most adults with asthma do not lose it permanently.
Unfortunately, yes — severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. Most asthma-related deaths happen in people who did not receive the right treatment. Death can happen in mild asthmatics and can be related to anaphylaxis or thunderstorms.
This can happen for several reasons, such as: not realising how serious their asthma is; having a treatment plan that fails to control their symptoms; not being able to afford treatment or choosing not to spend money on it. With the right care and medication, most asthma deaths are preventable.
Using a certain type of asthma relievers, called short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs), too often has been linked to an increased risk of asthma-related deaths. SABAs provide quick relief of asthma symptoms, but do not treat the underlying airway inflammation. This can lead to poor asthma control, and it increases the risk of severe or even life-threatening asthma attacks. This is why it is no longer recommended to use SABA inhalers as the only treatment for asthma. Guidelines now recommend an anti-inflammatory: an inhaled steroid- even for patients with mild asthma. Inhaled steroids have been shown to reduce asthma deaths. The doses inhaled are minute and safe for long-term use.
Unfortunately, the answer is usually no. Asthma symptoms may decrease or even fully disappear, but the condition never really goes away. If you had asthma as a child, you might notice a decrease in breathing issues as you grow older. That’s because your lungs grow and your immune system becomes stronger. A proportion of children with asthma do lose it with growth. Still, for most people, the underlying problem — swelling and narrowing in the airways — does not go away, which is why you can still have asthma flare-ups later in life.
Asthma symptoms are caused by inflammation in the airways. Typical asthma symptoms are wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing, especially when breathing out), breathlessness, a tight chest, and a cough that keeps coming back. These symptoms often occur during exercise, at night, or early in the morning, and they tend to come and go rather than being constant.
The first step is to get a formal diagnosis. Book an appointment with your general practitioner and share your concerns openly. They will likely ask about your family history, your symptoms, what seems to trigger them, and your overall health. They may also perform lung function tests, such as spirometry or peak flow measurements.
To help you feel more prepared for this first consultation, be sure to check out our “Prepare Your Consultation” module. There, you'll find a downloadable PDF you can complete ahead of your visit — it’s a great way to make the most of your time with your doctor.
If you’re interested in learning more about the medical procedures used to diagnose asthma, visit the Diagnosis module on our website.
Asthma attacks, also called flare-ups or exacerbations, happen when swelling or tightening narrows the airways in the lungs, making it harder to breathe. Attacks can come on suddenly or gradually and may become life-threatening if not treated quickly. During an asthma attack, you have more trouble breathing. Common symptoms include: wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and a tight chest. If you have asthma, it’s important to have an asthma action plan so you know what steps to take and when to seek emergency care.
If you experience symptoms right now: don’t wait! Use your reliever treatment immediately. If you don’t have one with you or if symptoms don’t improve, call the emergency services right away.
It's completely natural to feel scared about getting an asthma diagnosis — you're not alone, and your healthcare team is there to support you. Getting a diagnosis is actually a positive first step. It means you can start managing the symptoms you've likely already been experiencing and feel more in control of your health. Taking the right treatment should improve your quality of life and reduce the chances of asthma death.
Daily life might change a little depending on your asthma severity. You will need regular treatment and will carry a reliever inhaler with you. It’s also important to avoid things that trigger your asthma, like cigarette smoke, strong smells, or allergens if relevant.
Having a written asthma action plan can help you stay prepared, and letting close friends or family know how to help in an emergency is a good idea. The good news is that with the right care and attention, people with asthma can live successful and active lives.
Unfortunately, asthma cannot be cured — at least not yet. However, modern treatments are very effective at keeping symptoms under control. Asthma can vary over time, and people with asthma have both good and bad days.
It’s easy to assume your asthma is gone if you haven’t had symptoms for a while, but the underlying condition — inflammation of the airways — often remains. This means you could still experience symptoms in the future, especially if you're exposed to your triggers. That’s why it’s important to continue the medication that your doctor has prescribed, even during symptom-free periods. Staying consistent helps prevent flare-ups and keeps you feeling your best.
Controlling asthma symptoms means they no longer interfere with your daily life. Your healthcare provider will work with you to review your symptoms and to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
If your treatment is working well, you can expect:
With new treatment options emerging, the medical field is shifting its focus toward a new goal, called asthma remission. Asthma remission is a state in which symptoms are minimal or even completely absent for an extended period. The medical community is optimistic that achieving remission will become possible for more patients in the future.
There are several simple changes you can make at home to help reduce asthma triggers:
The simple answer is no! Exercise can trigger asthma in some people. However, all people with asthma are encouraged to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity can help keep the lungs strong and may also support weight control — both of which are important for managing asthma. Exercising has been shown to improve lung function. If exercise triggers your asthma, your doctor might recommend using an inhaler before you start and keeping one with you while you exercise
If you’re allergic to specific triggers, it’s important to avoid or at least limit exposure as much as possible. Consider allergy-proofing your home for better symptom control. Check out this excellent resource to find out how.
Eating healthily (real food, mostly plants, not too much) can reduce inflammation and might help your asthma and keep your weight in check. Do avoid any known asthma – trigger foods that you have discovered. Some asthma subjects are sensitive to painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen (NSAID- exacerbated respiratory disease) and they may find that alcohol and spices make their asthma worse.
Reliever medication works quickly to open up the airways when asthma symptoms occur—such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. It provides fast relief and is used only when needed. Current asthma guidelines recommend the use of anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR) therapy, which combines fast-acting symptom relief with treatment of the underlying airway inflammation. This typically involves a single inhaler that contains both an inhaled steroid and a fast-acting bronchodilator, such as formoterol.
In contrast, maintenance (or preventer) therapy is taken every day, even when you feel well. Its purpose is to reduce inflammation and swelling in the airways, making symptoms less likely to occur and lowering the risk of asthma attacks over time.
Today, most people with asthma are treated with a combined inhaler that contains both a preventer (inhaled steroid) and a reliever (long-acting beta-2 agonist). This inhaler is used regularly as maintenance and additionally as needed for symptom relief. This convenient approach is called Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART), and it helps simplify treatment while improving asthma control.
Yes, treating asthma is essential. Without proper treatment, you're at greater risk of asthma attacks, which can be severe and even life-threatening.
When used regularly, the preventer medication can significantly reduce your risk of asthma attacks and death.
This is a common concern, but asthma medicines are safe when used as prescribed. In fact, treatment is essential to control your asthma symptoms and prevent serious problems such as asthma attacks. The risks of untreated asthma by far outweigh the potential risks of treatment. However, as with all medications, side effects are possible. If you are at any point concerned about your treatment or experience side effects, reach out to your doctor or asthma nurse to discuss your options.
The answer is yes, it’s safe to continue using your inhaled asthma medicines during pregnancy.
It’s normal to worry about side effects or how medications might affect your baby. But stopping your asthma treatment is more dangerous. Poorly controlled asthma poses greater risks to both you and your baby. The tiny amounts of inhaled steroids do not cause problems for you or the baby. As soon as you find out you're pregnant, be sure to let your doctor, midwife, or antenatal team know. Pregnancy can affect asthma differently for each person — for some, it stays the same, while for others it may improve or get worse. That’s why regular asthma check-ups are especially important during pregnancy.
When you have asthma, a cold or the flu can affect your lungs more than it does for others. That’s because asthma reduces your antiviral immunity and these illnesses can cause extra swelling and narrowing in your airways — something people with asthma already deal with. This can lead to more coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness than usual.
Colds and the flu are actually one of the most common reasons asthma symptoms get worse, especially in children.
To protect yourself, try to avoid getting sick by:
Yes, that’s possible. These nasal symptoms may be a sign of inflammation in the upper airways, such as rhinitis or rhinosinusitis. Most people with asthma have one or both of these. In fact, if the upper airways are not affected, the asthma can sometimes be harder to manage.
Allergic rhinitis (AR) often accompanies allergic asthma, and uncontrolled (allergic) rhinitis is a major risk factor for poor asthma control- so the condition needs effective treatment. This involves another dose of steroids- applied as a nasal spray, which may also contain an antihistamine (another type of medication used to treat AR).
A specific type of rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, also called nasal polyp syndrome, is especially common in people with more severe asthma, some of whom are also aspirin / NSAID sensitive
People with asthma often have other conditions, called comorbidities. These are diseases that occur together with asthma and may lead to other symptoms. Some common ones to watch for include:
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