Lungs and breathing

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

Bronchiolitis is a viral chest infection in babies and children under 2, often RSV. Most recover at home. Call 999 if they are working hard to breathe.

Acute bronchitis is a chesty cough after a cold — why antibiotics are rarely needed, what helps recovery, and when to see a GP.

A plain-English guide to chest infections — bronchitis and pneumonia symptoms, home care, and when to see a GP urgently.

A plain-English guide to COPD — symptoms, causes, how it is managed and when to seek help.

COVID-19 often feels like a cold or flu. Stay at home while you have a fever or feel too unwell. Severe breathing difficulty is 999. Check current NHS advice.

Croup causes a barking cough in young children. Steam is not NHS-recommended. Call 999 if they are struggling to breathe or going blue or grey.

Cystic fibrosis — inherited lung and digestive disease, newborn screening, daily treatments, and NHS specialist centre care.

Flu comes on fast with fever, aches and exhaustion. Learn how it differs from a cold or COVID-19, who needs the vaccine, and when to call 999.

Long COVID means symptoms lasting weeks after COVID-19 — fatigue, brain fog and breathlessness are common. How the NHS assesses it and when to see a GP.

Lung cancer — symptoms, who should seek chest X-ray, diagnosis, staging, and NHS treatment including surgery and immunotherapy.

A plain-English guide to pneumonia — symptoms, treatment, recovery, and when to seek urgent medical help.

Pulmonary embolism — blood clot in the lung, symptoms including breathlessness and chest pain, emergency treatment, and NHS prevention of recurrence.

A plain-English guide to RSV — symptoms in babies and adults, home care, and when to seek medical advice.

Obstructive sleep apnoea explained — snoring, breathing pauses, daytime tiredness, diagnosis with sleep studies, CPAP treatment, and links to weight and heart health.

Tuberculosis (TB) — symptoms, latent vs active infection, testing, NHS treatment, and when to seek urgent help.

Whooping cough causes coughing bouts that can last weeks. Babies can be very unwell. Use 111 or a GP. Call 999 if they turn blue or cannot breathe.

Most coughs are viral and settle in about 3 weeks. Coloured mucus does not automatically mean antibiotics. Call 999 for severe breathlessness, chest pain or blue lips. See a GP if a cough lasts over 3 weeks, or you have blood, weight loss or voice change.

Sudden severe breathlessness is 999. Ongoing breathlessness that limits what you used to do needs a GP. This page cannot tell anxiety from a clot.

Snoring happens when relaxed throat tissues vibrate during sleep and is often harmless, but breathing pauses and daytime sleepiness can mean sleep apnoea.

Wheezing is a whistling sound caused by narrowed airways, usually from asthma, chest infections or allergies. Severe or sudden wheezing needs urgent treatment.

The COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of serious illness from coronavirus; NHS eligibility, booster timing and common side effects explained.

The flu vaccine is an annual jab that reduces your risk of flu and its complications, offered free on the NHS each autumn to people at higher risk.

Inhalers deliver asthma and COPD medicine straight to the lungs — reliever inhalers act fast, preventer inhalers are taken daily, and technique matters.

Prednisolone is an oral steroid that suppresses inflammation in asthma, arthritis and autoimmune conditions; long courses need tapering and monitoring.

An X-ray uses low-dose radiation to image bones and some tissues, quickly detecting fractures, chest infections and joint disease in most cases.