Adult asthma: symptoms, control, and warning signs

Symptoms may come and go, worsen at night or early morning, or appear with exercise, respiratory infections, smoke, dust, pollen, animals, strong fumes, or cold air. Asthma often presents with wheezing and breathlessness, but cough or chest tightness can be prominent. Similar symptoms can arise from other conditions, so clinical assessment is needed.

A clinician may review the timing of symptoms, listen to the chest, and use breathing tests to look for variable airflow limitation. They will also consider nasal allergy, reflux, workplace exposures, smoking, heart problems, and other lung conditions when choosing the next step.

Take inhalers exactly as prescribed and ask a clinician or pharmacist to check your technique, since small handling errors can reduce delivery to the lungs. Keep your reliever accessible, follow your written asthma action plan, and attend reviews even when breathing feels settled.

Note symptom patterns, nighttime waking, activity limitation, and how often relief medicine is needed. Avoid tobacco smoke and address triggers that consistently provoke symptoms without unnecessarily restricting normal activity. Do not stop a preventer inhaler simply because symptoms improve.

Seek urgent medical help if breathlessness is severe or rapidly worsening, you cannot speak comfortably in full sentences, lips or face look blue or grey, you feel faint or confused, or your reliever is not helping as directed in your action plan. Sit upright, use prescribed rescue treatment according to that plan, and do not drive yourself if severely unwell.

Ask what your breathing tests show, whether your inhaler technique is effective, how to recognise worsening control, and exactly what your action plan tells you to do. Mention nighttime symptoms, exercise limits, nasal symptoms, possible work triggers, smoking or vaping, and every medicine or supplement you use.