We provide evidence-based health information on asthma. We believe when people with asthma, their families and carers have access to health information that is reliable, they would be better equipped to manage their asthma and keep their symptoms well controlled.
Asthma is long-term common condition where the airways in the lungs become inflamed and narrow. Inflamed airways can become twitchy and narrow in response to a wide range of triggers, making breathing difficult. Symptoms vary widely from person to person and from situation to situation. Every day, three people die from Asthma in the UK. Most of these deaths, however, could have been prevented with proper education and management.
Our goal is to provide you with the latest information on Asthma. After all, the more you know about Asthma, the better you can control it. With this information, no matter the kind of symptoms you experience or how long you’ve had Asthma – you’ll soon be able to enjoy life to the fullest.
The medical definition of Asthma is simple, but the condition itself is quite complex. Doctors define Asthma as a “chronic inflammatory disease of the airway” that causes the following symptoms:
Asthma has no set pattern, it’s symptoms:
Breathing: Normal airways vs Asthma Airways. In someone with normal lung function, air is inhaled through the nose and mouth. It passes through the Trachea (also called the windpipe) before moving into the Bronchi (large airways), which are branching tubes leading away from the Trachea. The Bronchi branch into smaller tubes, and very small sacs called alveoli. It’s in the alveoli that oxygen, which the body needs, is passed to the blood, while carbon dioxide, which the body doesn’t, is removed from it.
People with Asthma often have trouble breathing when they are in the presence of what is called a “trigger”. When someone with Asthma has symptoms, it means that the flow of air is obstructed as it passes in and out of the lungs. This happens because of one of the following: The lining of the airways become inflamed (irritated, reddened, swollen), and may produce more mucous. The more inflammation the more sensitive the airways become there by resulting in less air passing in and out of the lungs.
The muscles that surround the airways become sensitive and start to twitch and tighten, causing the airways to narrow. This usually occurs if the inflammation is not treated.
Both factors cause the airways to narrow, making it difficult for air to pass in and out of them.
The airways of someone with asthma are inflamed, to some degree all the time. The more inflamed the airway the more sensitive the airway becomes. This leads to breathing difficulty.
Asthma is a chronic condition, meaning it needs to be monitored and controlled over a lifetime. Anyone can develop Asthma at any stage in their lives. Although it is commonly diagnosed in young people. Currently, 5.4 million people in the UK have Asthma.
Most people with Asthma can live full active lives, the trick is learning how to keep your Asthma well controlled and minimize symptoms. If you have Asthma, you can control it:
To request an asthma pack please email healthpromotion@asthmaandallergy.org.uk
CHSS – My lungs my life
Asthma
I have asthma
http://mylungsmylife.org/topics/i-have-asthma
My Child Has Asthma
http://mylungsmylife.org/topics/my-child-has-asthma/
NHS Choices Links
Asthma
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Asthma/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Asthma in Pregnancy
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/asthma-pregnant.aspx
Travelling with asthma
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/travelhealth/Pages/travelling-with-asthma.aspx
Asthma affects 5.4 million people in the UK, 368,000 people Scotland, including 72,000 children and about 35,000 people in the Grampian area.
One child is admitted to hospital every 20 minutes for an asthma attack, and 75% of hospital admissions for asthma are avoidable.
Every day 3 people die from an asthma attack and 90% of these deaths are preventable.
At Asthma and Allergy Foundation, we are working tirelessly to change this.
Trustees of W. S Sutherland Trust recently passed on their assets to Asthma and Allergy Foundation for use towards Asthma Research that would help relieve the suffering of people with asthma in the Highlands and across Scotland. The organisation is currently working in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen towards asthma research and are looking for sponsors to make this vital work possible.