When someone suffers from asthma, certain triggers cause the muscle around the walls of the airways to tighten so that the airway becomes inflamed and starts to swell. Often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced. According to Asthma UK (asthma.org.uk) it can start at any age and tends to run in families – if one parent has asthma, the chance of their child developing asthma is approximately double that of children whose parents don’t have asthma.

How to spot it: Chronic coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness often on exposure to the triggers listed below can all be symptoms of asthma. Without treatment the condition might cause people to experience difficulty sleeping or concentrating at work or school.

Common triggers: Asthma triggers vary from person to person. Avoiding them as much as possible is the key to preventing asthma attacks. Among the most common triggers are animal fur, house-dust mites, exercise, viral infections, smoking and pollen.

Prevention and treatment: There is currently no cure for asthma, although there are excellent forms of treatment available from your doctor. Reliever inhalers are essential for treating asthma attacks as they quickly relax the muscles surrounding the narrowed airways making it easier to breathe again. Preventer inhalers, which usually consist of inhaled steroids, control inflammation in the airways, reducing the risk of severe attacks. They need to be taken every day.

How to treat a severe asthma attack: Rapid breathing and wheezing in an abnormal fashion can signify a severe asthma attack, which is potentially fatal if not treated. Put the patient into a comfortable position – leaning forward on to a table or over the back of a chair. Sit them in a smoke-free room that is well-ventilated. Help them to find their blue asthma inhaler if they have one. It should take effect within a few minutes. If it doesn’t, encourage them to take another dose and to breathe slowly and deeply. If the inhaler has no effect after five minutes, call for an ambulance.

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