What is asthma?

Asthma is caused by inflammation and narrowing of the small airways in the lungs. This can cause a combination of symptoms including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

Asthma happens when the airways become more sensitive, causing the muscles in the airways to narrow the air passages and produce mucus. The increase in mucus narrows the airways even more. This means that air cannot travel to the bottom of the lungs, making it harder to breathe in and out. This restriction in the airway causes the wheezing or whistling breath that is one of the signs of asthma.

What causes asthma?

Common causes of asthma are pollen, animal hair, cigarette smoke, mould and dust.

Asthma symptoms can be triggered by physical exercise and some medications. Environmental changes like thunderstorms or high humidity, breathing in cold, dry air can bring on asthma symptoms. Some foods, food additives and fragrances can also trigger asthma symptoms.

If you or any of your family suffer from hayfever, eczema or were allergic to milk as a child there is an increased chance of developing asthma.

How common is asthma?

In New Zealand, asthma is very common, especially in children. Doctors will not usually diagnose asthma in a child until they are 2 years or older. For some children asthma is a chronic condition they manage throughout their life, while others grow out of the condition once the airways have fully developed.

It is possible to develop asthma as an adult. Adult-onset asthma can be brought on by environmental irritants and allergies.

What is the treatment for asthma?

The most common treatment for asthma is the use of inhalers which is a device used to help asthma sufferers breathe in medication to help open the airway.

There are two main types of inhalers; reliever inhalers and preventative inhalers. These must be prescribed by a doctor, your community pharmacist can help you manage your prescriptions. For severe asthma doctors will prescribe a combination of inhaled and oral medications.

What is an asthma attack?

An asthma attack can occur quickly and is a sudden worsening of asthma symptoms including a tightening of the airways, shortness of breath and coughing. It can be stopped quickly with prompt use of reliever inhalers. It is important to keep your medication close by at all times, as asthma attacks are common at nighttime, and can happen without any warning.

Most asthmatics are given preventer medication which if used regularly, as prescribed, will help prevent attacks of asthma occurring. Prevention is as important as symptom relief.

If you think you or someone in your family may have asthma, arrange a consultation with your doctor to get a diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible.

How we can help

Our community pharmacists can teach you the right technique for using your asthma inhaler. It can be tricky to get the technique right when it is difficult to breathe. We can also provide devices like spacers that can be used with reliever and preventer medicines invaluable in good asthma treatment.

Every time you collect new medicines for your asthma, get our community pharmacists to check your inhaler technique. It’s important to regularly check if you need new spacers and run a peak flow metre which measures how well your lungs are working.