What should you know about induced asthma?

Triggers can include exercise, cold air, smoke, cleaning fumes, viral infections, pollen, animal allergens, or house dust mites. Symptoms may begin during exposure or afterwards and can vary from one episode to another. Asthma is a condition of sensitive, inflamed airways; a trigger can make the airway lining swell and the surrounding muscles tighten. Allergic Rhinitis and House Dust Mite Allergy may coexist with asthma, while a persistent cough can have other causes.

Keep a simple record of the activity or exposure, timing, symptoms, and any reliever medicine used. Follow your prescribed asthma action plan and use inhalers with the technique taught to you. Reduce smoke and strong fumes, and discuss work-related symptoms with a clinician. Assessment may include listening to the chest and breathing tests. A nebuliser treatment may be used in a clinical setting when inhaled medicine needs to be delivered during more severe symptoms. Do not stop preventer treatment without advice.

Get emergency help if breathing is rapidly worsening, you cannot speak comfortably in full sentences, your lips look blue or grey, you feel faint or confused, or your reliever is not helping as directed. Urgent review is also sensible for a first episode of wheezing, repeated night waking, or symptoms that keep returning after a trigger. Chest Tightness, Cough, and Wheezing provide related symptom information.

Ask which triggers are most plausible, whether you need breathing tests, how to use each inhaler, and what your personal action plan says about worsening symptoms. Ask how exercise can be resumed safely and whether nasal allergy treatment could improve control.