What should you know about chronic asthma symptoms?

Asthma causes the airways to become sensitive and narrowed, so breathing may feel harder during an episode. Symptoms can be worse at night, early in the morning, with exercise, or after exposure to smoke, dust, pollen, cold air, or a respiratory infection. A cough may be the main symptom, even when wheezing is absent. Allergic Rhinitis and House Dust Mite Allergy can aggravate asthma in some people. Symptoms that return often or disturb sleep deserve a planned review.

Use your prescribed inhalers exactly as directed and keep track of symptoms, triggers, night waking, and how often you need reliever medicine. Check inhaler technique with a clinician because small technique problems can reduce the medicine reaching the lungs. Reduce exposure to known triggers, avoid tobacco smoke, and follow your written asthma action plan if you have one. A persistent cough may also be assessed alongside Chronic Cough.

Seek urgent help if breathing becomes severely difficult, speaking is hard, lips look blue or grey, you feel faint or confused, or your reliever is not helping as expected. Arrange a prompt appointment when symptoms are becoming more frequent, wake you repeatedly, limit normal activity, or require reliever medicine more often than planned. Chest Tightness and Wheezing can be useful terms to describe during the assessment.

Ask whether your symptoms fit asthma, how to recognise worsening control, whether your inhaler technique is effective, and which triggers are worth recording. Ask what to do if an episode develops away from home and whether Nebuliser Treatment has any role in your situation.