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Back A AERD: Short for Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (also known as N-ERD or Samter’s Triad). This condition causes breathing symptoms, such as asthma or nasal issues, to worsen when taking certain painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen (NSAIDs). People with AERD typically have a combination of three problems: asthma, nasal polyps, and sensitivity to aspirin or similar anti-inflammatory drugs.Airways: Tubes that carry air in and out of your lungsAllergen: A substance (like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander) that can cause an allergic reaction in certain people.Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): An allergic reaction in the nose that can make you sneeze, have a runny or stuffy nose, and itchy/watery eyes. Often triggered by pollen, dust mites, or pets.Anti-inflammatory: A term for medicines (like corticosteroids) that reduce swelling, redness, or irritation in the body.Anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR): A reliever inhaler that combines a fast-acting medicine to quickly open the airways with an inhaled steroid to reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs.Antibiotics: Medicines used to kill or slow down the growth of bacteria. Sometimes prescribed for patients with uncontrolled severe asthma.Asthma: A lung condition where the airways become inflamed and narrow, making it hard to breathe. People with asthma often have other diseases as well, such as chronic rhinosinusitis or allergic rhinitis (hay fever).Atopic Dermatitis (eczema): a skin condition that causes areas of the skin to become dry, itchy, inflamed, and sometimes flaky. B Biologics: Special medicines given by injection that target specific parts of the immune system to reduce inflammation. Used when other options haven’t worked and after a specialist has made a detailed assessment of your condition.Bronchial thermoplasty: A treatment for some people with severe asthma, done in a specialist centre. It uses gentle heat to reduce extra muscle around the airways, helping them stay open and making breathing easier.Bronchoconstriction: A medical term that describes the narrowing of the airways in the lungs, which makes it more difficult to breathe.Bronchodilator: A type of medication that relaxes the muscles around the airways, helping them open up and making it easier to breathe.Bronchodilator reversibility test (BDR): A lung function test that is performed alongside spirometry (another lung function test, see Spirometry) to determine whether your airways respond to medication –  and if so, how much your lung function improves as a result.Bronchoprovocation test/Bronchial challenge tests: Bronchoprovocation testing is a diagnostic procedure that assesses the sensitivity or reactivity of the airways to specific substances, such as methacholine. C Chest symptoms: Issues such as coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, or tightness in the chest—often linked with lung conditions like asthma or COPD.Chronic: Means that something lasts a long time, often for months or years. It usually doesn’t go away quickly and may come back again and againChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A long-term lung disease (often linked to smoking or polluted air) where airways and tiny air sacs in the lungs are damaged, causing breathing difficulties.Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS): A condition defined by long-lasting inflammation inside the nose and sinuses, causing symptoms like a stuffy nose, runny nose, loss of smell, and facial pain.Comorbidities: Other conditions or diseases that occur at the same time as the main condition. For example, many people with asthma also have chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) or allergies.CT scan: An imaging test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body (in this case, your lungs) to check for other problems or complications that might be causing symptoms or making asthma harder to control. D Diagnosis: The process where a doctor determines what health condition a person has.Differential diagnosis: A list of possible conditions that could explain a patient’s symptoms. Before confirming CRS, your doctor will consider other conditions that could cause your symptoms. E Eosinophils: Eosinophils are a type of white blood cells responsible for inflammation. People who have high levels of eosinophils can have increased swelling in the airways which can lead to asthma symptoms.Eosinophilic asthma: A subtype of asthma characterized by high levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, in the airwaysEndotyping / Phenotyping: Specialist terms for classifying a disease by looking at the exact type of inflammation or cells involved. This helps doctors tailor treatments, like deciding what type of biologics to use.ENT doctor (Ear-Nose-Throat specialist): A doctor who specialises in conditions affecting the ear, nose, and throat. Also called an otolaryngologist.Exacerbation: A sudden worsening or flare-up of symptoms. If you understand when you’re having an exacerbation, you can see your doctor sooner and adjust medications if needed. F FENO (Fractional exhaled nitric oxide) test: A simple breathing test that measures the level of nitric oxide in the air you breathe out. Higher levels can be a sign of inflammation in your airways.Forced oscillation technique (FOT): A lung function test that uses gentle pressure waves during normal breathing. It’s especially useful for people who can’t perform traditional tests like spirometry. G Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): A common condition in which the stomach contents move up into the esophagus and cause heartburn. Glaucoma: An eye condition that damages the optic nerve, often due to high pressure inside the eye. This damage can lead to vision loss or even blindness if not treated. H House dust mite: Tiny insect-like pests found in household dust that can trigger allergies and make asthma or CRS symptoms worse if you are allergic. I Immune system: Your body’s defence against infections and foreign substances. In asthma, this system may overreact, causing ongoing inflammation.Immunotherapy: A treatment that may help the body get used to allergens so it reacts less over time. Often given as injections or drops/pills under the tongue.Inflammation: Swelling or irritation in the body’s tissues, often due to the immune system’s response to infection or irritants. Asthma is driven by long-lasting inflammation.Inherited: Refers to traits or a higher chance of developing certain conditions that are passed from parents to children through genes.In remission: When a chronic condition is no longer causing significant symptoms.-itis (suffix): A medical ending that means “inflammation.” Whenever you see “-itis” in a word (like rhinitis or