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Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages.

Asthma is a chronic lower respiratory tract condition that affects the small airways in the lungs.

People with asthma have sensitive airways that react to triggers, leading to inflammation, constriction of the airways and difficulty breathing.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

  • Difficulty breathing, especially during physical activity or at night.
  • Chest tightness: A feeling of tightness or constriction in the chest.
  • Wheezing when breathing out.
  • Persistent dry coughing: Often worse at night or early morning.

What triggers your Asthma?

There are several asthma phenotypes, not all of which are triggered by allergen inhalation. The following are several typical known triggers for asthma exacerbations. Not everyone is triggered by all those mentioned below.

  • Allergens: Pollen, dust mites, mould, pet dander.
  • Respiratory Infections: Cold, flu, sinusitis.
  • Exercise: Particularly in cold or dry air.
  • Irritants: Cigarette smoke, bushfire smoke.
  • Environment: Household aerosols and home renovation materials.
  • Certain medications: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, beta-blockers.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are several asthma phenotypes, not all of which are triggered by allergen inhalation. The following are several typical known triggers for asthma exacerbations. Not everyone is triggered by all those mentioned below.

  • Allergens: Pollen, dust mites, mould, pet dander.
  • Respiratory Infections: Cold, flu, sinusitis.
  • Exercise: Particularly in cold or dry air.
  • Irritants: Cigarette smoke, bushfire smoke.
  • Environment: Household aerosols and home renovation materials.
  • Certain medications: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, beta-blockers.

After taking your medical history, your doctor may perform skin prick tests or blood tests for allergen specific IgE to demonstrate the presence of antibodies to one or several allergens. These tests are medically and scientifically proven. It is important to determine if allergies are an important factor in your asthma and effective allergy management can improve asthma control.

Asthma is typically diagnosed through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and lung function tests such as spirometry. Skin prick testing may also be used to identify allergic triggers.

  1. Medications: Broadly speaking, there are two classes of medications for treating asthma:
    • Relievers: to immediately relieve asthma symptoms and,
    • Preventers: to helps prevent future asthma symptoms and exacerbations.
    • Note: Almost all adults and adolescents with asthma need to be on a preventer, as asthma is often not controlled in older age groups with relievers alone.
  2. Allergy Management: Allergen minimisation and treating co-morbid allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis can help reduce asthma symptoms.
  3. Lifestyle: Smoking cessation, healthy eating, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and staying up-to-date with your immunisations is important.
  4. Asthma Action Plan: These are personalised plans outlining steps to take if your asthma flares.
  5. Allergen specific immunotherapy: This treatment (often termed simply “immunotherapy”) involves regular administration of allergens you are allergic to, in an attempt to desensitize your immune system.  Allergen immunotherapy is the closest thing we have for a “cure” for allergy and has been shown to improve asthma control in some people.

Medication adherence with asthma preventers is critical to good long term asthma control and it is important you discuss with your doctor if you are poorly adherent to your treatments

Take back control – start your journey today.

We are a leading paediatric and adult Allergy, Immunology and Immunopathology group with clinics in the Sydney CBD and Westmead.

Our specialists hold sub-specialised qualifications in allergy and immunology, and pathology, and offer significant clinical experience.

If you have a question about a condition or treatment, or would like to book an appointment, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

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(02) 9633 1673

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(02) 9247 6713

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