Breathtaking: Understanding Asthma
A good day starts with a clear breath. For 2.8 million Australians, September 1 to 7 is National Asthma Week. It’s your reminder to refresh your asthma management plan. From checking your inhaler technique to understanding your triggers. Maintaining good control is your best defence.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a long-term respiratory condition that causes the airways to inflame, narrow, and produce excess mucus, leading to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and breathlessness. The severity of asthma can vary.
What causes asthma?
The exact cause of asthma isn’t fully known, but it’s a mix of your genes and things in your environment. Think of it like this: some people are more likely to have asthma because of their family history. Then, something in the world around them ‘triggers’ an asthma attack.
What triggers asthma?
Some common triggers include:
Allergies: Things like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and mold can make your immune system overreact and cause your airways to get irritated. Building and renovating can create dust that triggers asthma.
Irritants: Breathing in stuff like cigarette smoke, pollution, and strong fumes from cleaners or perfumes can also set off an attack.
Infections: Catching a cold, the flu, or other respiratory infections can make breathing difficult for days or even weeks.
Exercise: For some people, physical activity can cause their airways to tighten. This is often called exercise-induced asthma.
Weather: Changes in weather, such as very cold or dry air, can be a trigger for some people.
Who is affected by asthma in Australia?
Asthma affects around 2.8 million Australians, roughly 1 in 9 people, as of 2022.
In 2023, asthma accounted for 2.5 percent of the total disease burden and a striking 35 percent of all respiratory conditions. It’s also the leading cause of total disease burden in children aged 1–9 years.
How is asthma diagnosed?
There’s no single ‘asthma test’. Doctors look at a lot of different clues to figure out if you have it. They’ll ask you questions about your health and your family’s health, do a physical exam, and might use some breathing tests.
- Medical History: The doctor will ask about your symptoms. Do you cough or wheeze a lot, especially at night or when you exercise? Do your symptoms get better with certain medications? They’ll also ask if anyone in your family has asthma or allergies.
- Physical Exam: The doctor will listen to your chest with a stethoscope to check for wheezing or other sounds. They might also look at your nose, throat, and skin for signs of allergies.
- Breathing Tests: These tests measure how well your lungs are working. The most common one is called spirometry. For this test, you’ll blow into a mouthpiece attached to a machine. It measures how much air you can breathe out and how fast you can do it. This can show if your airways are narrow.
How can asthma be managed?
Although there’s no cure, asthma control is achievable. Effective management includes using daily preventer medications, relievers for flare-ups, and sticking to a personalised asthma action plan.
The action plan usually involves:
- Attending regular check‑ups with your GP
- Ensuring proper inhaler technique
- Identifying and avoiding your personal asthma triggers
- Following your asthma action plan
Does asthma ever get better?
Many children experience an improvement in asthma symptoms as they grow older. For some, symptoms may even disappear. But asthma can return later in life, so it’s vital not to stop medications or disregard symptoms without medical advice.
Good asthma control means no night symptoms, no asthma flareups, no missed school or work days, and no limits to daily activities.
What can I do if someone is having an asthma attack?
You can do Asthma First Aid!
Knowing what to do during an asthma attack can save a life — especially if you’re caring for a child or someone with asthma. There is a slight variation for children under 12. Here’s the 4-step asthma first aid procedure recommended in Australia:
Asthma First Aid
1. Sit the person upright
- Stay calm and reassure them.
- Do not lay them down.
2. Give 4 puffs of a reliever inhaler (usually blue)
- Use a spacer if available.
- Shake the puffer, give 1 puff, then have them take 4 breaths.
- Repeat until 4 puffs are given.
Even if the person doesn’t have asthma, the puffer is unlikely to hurt them.
3. Wait 4 minutes
- If there’s no improvement, give another 4 puffs in the same way.
4. Call 000 if symptoms are severe or not improving
- Keep giving 4 puffs every 4 minutes until help arrives.
What is the Blue Butterfly?
The blue butterfly symbol is a label that means a product or service has been assessed by an expert panel and found to be a sensitive choice for asthma or allergies. Products with the Blue Butterfly include things like bedding, air purifiers, and vacuum cleaners. It is part of a program called Sensitive Choice, which was developed by the National Asthma Council Australia.
The theme of this year’s National Asthma Week is to put asthma on the kitchen table. Get talking about it.
Kim and Tom’s Story
Kim stared at the half-painted violet wall. Her 4-year-old son, Tom, was sitting still for once. That was unusual. He was normally a whirlwind. A tell-tale wheeze was coming from his chest and Kim could feel her own chest starting to feel like she were breathing though a straw.
Renovating their home was turning nasty. Every sanded surface, every opened box, seemed to trigger a flare-up for both of them. It was time to down tools and visit the GP.
After a visit to the doctor to update their asthma plans, Kim remembered a friend telling her about the resource hub of Sensitive Choice. A quick online search led her to their website – a goldmine of asthma and allergy-friendly products.
The two spent the afternoon looking over paint, flooring, and even cleaning product recommendations. Kim had never been so excited to shop for cleaning products in her life!
For further information
National Asthma Council Australia
Make an appointment with your GP at Narara Valley Medical to update your asthma management plan
The information in this article is for general information and doesn’t consider your medical and health situation. See your doctor for advice that’s right for you.
