---
title: "Asthma: Symptoms, Causes & NHS Treatment | HealthAnswers"
description: "A plain-English guide to asthma — symptoms, triggers, treatment and recognising an asthma attack."
url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/asthma/
robots: noindex
---

# Asthma: Symptoms, Causes & NHS Treatment | HealthAnswers

Health A–Z

A plain-English guide to asthma — symptoms, triggers, treatment and recognising an asthma attack.

Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [Dr Neil Singh MBChB - nMRCGP](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/neil-singh/) · GMC 7039648 Reviewed 13 August 2026

## Quick answer

What is asthma? Asthma is a common long-term condition affecting the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs. It can cause wheezing, breathlessness, a tight chest and coughing. There is no cure, but for most people symptoms are well controlled with inhalers and an asthma action plan.

## Who is this page for?

This page is for people in the UK who want a plain-English overview of Asthma, including when to seek help and what NHS care usually involves. It explains general information, not what is wrong with you personally.

## Who should skip this page?

Skip this page if you need a diagnosis, a prescription, or emergency care. It cannot replace a GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 or 999. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; for urgent advice that is not life-threatening, call 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or use your GP out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland.

On this page 9 sections

## Key facts about asthma

- Asthma affects the airways and can cause wheezing, coughing and breathlessness.
- Symptoms often come and go and may be set off by triggers.
- Most people manage well with reliever and preventer inhalers.
- A sudden, severe worsening (an asthma attack) can be a medical emergency.

## Should I use this page, or treat an asthma attack now?

If you or your child are struggling to breathe, skip this page and follow your asthma action plan, then call 999 if you are getting worse, have no inhaler, or are not improving. This article is for understanding asthma, inhalers and NHS follow-up — not for managing an attack in real time. Do not drive yourself to A&E.

Use this page if you think you might have asthma, your symptoms are poorly controlled, or you want a clear picture of what the NHS offers. It is not a COPD guide, and it cannot replace your written action plan.

If this is new, severe chest tightness with no asthma diagnosis, treat it as urgent breathing difficulty rather than self-labelling it as asthma.

## What is asthma and how does it affect breathing?

Asthma is a long-term condition in which the airways become swollen and narrower, making breathing harder. Usual symptoms are wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and a tight chest. They often come and go, and may be worse at night or first thing. There is no cure, but good treatment should mean symptoms do not run your life.

Asthma usually starts in childhood, but it can begin at any age. In young children it sometimes improves by the teenage years or adulthood. In others it is lifelong. How much it affects you depends on your triggers, how well inhalers are used, and whether inflammation is kept under control.

Symptoms happen when sensitive airways react. Triggers include exercise, air pollution, cold air, and contact with something you are allergic to, such as pollen, dust, mould or animals. Colds and other viruses are a very common reason for a flare.

You may be more likely to have asthma if you have eczema, hay fever or food allergies, if asthma or allergies run in the family, if you were born prematurely or with a low birth weight, if you were exposed to smoke or high air pollution as a child, if you had bronchiolitis or croup, or if you are overweight. Breathing in certain chemicals at work can also cause asthma.

## How do I know if my asthma is poorly controlled?

Asthma is poorly controlled if symptoms still interrupt sleep, exercise or daily life, or you need a reliever more often than your plan expects. See a GP or nurse if treatment is not helping, symptoms wake you at night, or they stop usual activities. Book a review rather than hoping extra puffs will do.

Other clues that control is slipping:

- you are coughing or wheezing most days

- you avoid stairs, sport or walking because of your chest

- you have needed emergency care, or you recovered from an attack and have not had a follow-up

- you are not sure how to use your inhaler, or you have never had technique checked

- you have no written or digital asthma action plan

The NHS says you should have check-ups at least once a year, including inhaler technique and an up-to-date action plan. Take the plan to every asthma appointment.

## What inhalers and NHS treatments are used?

The main treatment is inhaled medicine. The NHS may offer an anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR) used when symptoms happen, a MART inhaler used every day and when symptoms happen, or a daily preventer plus a separate blue reliever. You should not be given a blue reliever to use on its own.

| NHS inhaler approach | When you use it | What it is for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AIR inhaler | When symptoms happen | Anti-inflammatory relief without a separate blue inhaler |
| MART inhaler | Every day, and again if symptoms happen | One device for prevention and relief |
| Preventer plus blue reliever | Preventer daily; blue inhaler when symptoms happen | Daily inflammation control plus quick relief |

Your care team should show you how to use your device. Technique matters: dry powder inhalers, pressurised metered-dose inhalers and soft mist inhalers are used differently. A spacer can help some people get more medicine into the lungs. Ask a pharmacist, nurse or GP to watch you use it.

If inhalers are not enough, you may be offered a stronger inhaler or tablets such as montelukast. Severe asthma that stays uncontrolled may be treated with injected biological therapies under specialist care. Hospital treatment for a bad attack can include oxygen, a nebuliser, and steroid tablets or injections.

Return empty, unwanted or expired inhalers to a pharmacy. Putting them in household rubbish can release gases.

## What should I do during an asthma attack?

Sit up straight, stay as calm as you can, and use your reliever as your asthma action plan says. Call 999 if you start to feel worse, you do not feel better after the maximum your plan allows, or you have no inhaler. If you recover, see a GP within 2 days.

Use a spacer with a pressurised inhaler if you have been shown how. Shake the device as you have been taught. Follow the maximum in your own plan if it differs from generic advice.

An attack is when symptoms become severe and breathing is difficult. It can be life-threatening. Follow the plan you were given, including any spacer you have been shown how to use. If 999 has been called and you are no better after 10 minutes and the ambulance has not arrived, the NHS says you can use an inhaler again up to the same maximum your plan allows.

Do not drive yourself to A&E. The 999 call handler will tell you what to do while you wait.

After any attack, treatment usually needs a review. An action plan that was not followed, an empty inhaler, or a blue inhaler used alone are all reasons to change the plan, not reasons to feel embarrassed.

## What triggers should I try to avoid?

You cannot avoid every trigger, but reducing the ones you know — smoke, pollution, pollen, animals, dust, mould and cold air — lowers the chance of a flare. Always carry your inhaler. Do not smoke. Check new medicines with a pharmacist, because aspirin, ibuprofen and beta blockers can worsen asthma in some people.

Practical steps the NHS highlights:

- use inhalers as your team recommended, not only when you feel unwell

- get vaccinations such as the flu vaccine, because viruses can make asthma worse

- keep to a healthy weight

- exercise regularly, with advice on doing it safely if activity is a trigger

- get help to quit smoking if you need it

Air pollution is a recognised trigger. On high-pollution days, people with asthma are often advised to reduce strenuous outdoor activity and to keep reliever treatment to hand. That is about reducing exposure, not about staying housebound.

## How is asthma diagnosed?

A GP or nurse will ask about symptoms and listen to your chest. You may have a breathing test, sometimes a blood test, and a peak flow meter to use at home for a few weeks. Diagnosis can take time because symptoms vary. If asthma is likely, you may be offered treatment to see whether it helps.

Do not be surprised if you are asked about night cough, hay fever, family allergies, work exposures and how symptoms behave with colds or exercise. Those details matter more than a single noisy breath in clinic.

Wheeze is not the same as asthma. Heart problems, COPD, panic, a chest infection and inhaled objects can all cause breathing difficulty. That is why a first severe episode still needs proper assessment.

## What should I not do if I have asthma?

Do not ignore night symptoms, skip preventer treatment because you “feel fine”, or treat a blue inhaler as your only plan. Do not smoke. Do not start ibuprofen, aspirin or a beta blocker without checking. Do not put used inhalers in the bin if you can return them to a pharmacy. Do not drive yourself to hospital during an attack.

Other traps:

- sharing someone else’s inhaler instead of getting your own reviewed

- assuming childhood asthma has gone, then having no inhaler when a cold hits

- stopping treatment in pregnancy — tell your midwife and doctor, because untreated asthma is riskier than using agreed inhalers

- waiting until you cannot speak before calling 999

## Does asthma change in pregnancy, childhood or with exercise?

Yes. Childhood asthma sometimes improves with age, pregnancy needs active management, and exercise can trigger symptoms even when asthma is otherwise well controlled. Tell your midwife if you are pregnant. Ask your nurse how to use inhalers around sport rather than dropping PE, running or swimming. Keep annual reviews going through those life stages.

For children, parents often notice a night cough, wheeze with colds, or breathlessness in the playground. Technique and spacers are especially important. Beat Asthma and your asthma nurse can help families practise devices until they are routine.

Work-related asthma needs occupational advice as well as inhalers. If symptoms improve away from work and worsen when you return, say so clearly.

Asthma and Lung UK offers a helpline and inhaler videos if you want extra coaching alongside NHS care. Your GP or nurse remains the place to change prescriptions and rewrite an action plan.

## ! When to see a GP about asthma

See a GP or asthma nurse if you think you might have asthma, or if your symptoms are not well controlled — for example, if you use your reliever inhaler three or more times a week. Call **999** for an asthma attack if a reliever inhaler is not helping, you are too breathless to speak, eat or sleep, your breathing is getting faster, or your lips or fingers look blue.

## Common questions about asthma

What triggers asthma symptoms? Common triggers include colds and chest infections, allergies (such as pollen, dust mites or animal fur), smoke, cold air, exercise and air pollution. Triggers vary from person to person, and avoiding your own where possible helps keep symptoms under control. What is the difference between a reliever and a preventer inhaler? A reliever inhaler (often blue) is used when symptoms occur and quickly eases them. A preventer inhaler is used every day, even when you feel well, to reduce inflammation in the airways and prevent symptoms. Your GP or nurse will explain how to use yours. Some people now use AIR or MART inhalers that cover both roles. Can asthma be cured? There is no cure, but it can usually be controlled very well so it has little impact on daily life. Some children find their asthma improves or goes away as they get older. What should I do during an asthma attack? Sit up straight, stay as calm as you can, and use your reliever inhaler as your personal asthma action plan describes. Call 999 if you start to feel worse, you do not feel better after using the maximum your plan allows, or you do not have an inhaler. Do not drive yourself to A&E. How often should asthma be reviewed? The NHS says you should have check-ups at least once a year. These include inhaler technique and updating your action plan. See a GP or nurse sooner if symptoms wake you at night, stop usual activities, or you are using a reliever more often. Can I take ibuprofen if I have asthma? Not always. The NHS warns that some medicines, including aspirin, ibuprofen and beta blockers, can trigger symptoms in some people. Check with a pharmacist or doctor before using them. Never stop a prescribed heart or blood pressure medicine without advice. Should I still exercise if I have asthma? Yes, for most people. The NHS recommends regular exercise and a healthy weight. If exercise sets off symptoms, ask your GP or nurse how to use your inhalers around activity rather than avoiding movement altogether. What happens after an asthma attack? Even if you feel better, the NHS says it is important to see a GP within 2 days to review treatment and reduce the chance of another attack. Keep using your usual inhalers as advised while you wait for that appointment. Is a blue reliever inhaler enough on its own? The NHS now says you should not be given a blue reliever inhaler to use on its own. Most people need an anti-inflammatory approach, either as AIR, MART, or a daily preventer plus a reliever. Ask for a review if a blue inhaler is your only treatment.

## Sources

- [NHS — Asthma](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/)
- [NHS — Asthma treatment](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/treatment/)
- [NICE — Asthma (NG245)](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng245)
- [NHS — Flu vaccine](https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/)
- [GOV.UK — Health matters, air pollution](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-air-pollution/health-matters-air-pollution)