Asthma: Symptoms, Triggers and Treatment
Asthma narrows and inflames the airways, causing wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. Most people control it well with inhalers and by managing their triggers.
- Pulmonology
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At a glance
- Department
- Pulmonology
- Hospital
- Goga Ji Hospital
- Location
- Jawahar Colony, Near Disposal Chowk, Faridabad
- Appointments
- +91-9266088551
This page explains the condition in plain language: what it is, what causes it, what to watch for, and when a symptom needs urgent attention rather than an appointment.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a long-term condition in which the airways are inflamed and over-reactive. When triggered they narrow and produce mucus, making breathing out difficult — which is why wheezing is typically worse on exhaling.
It is very treatable. Most people with well-managed asthma have few or no symptoms and live entirely normally. Where asthma remains troublesome, the reason is far more often treatment that is not being taken correctly than disease that cannot be controlled.
Symptoms
Symptoms typically vary — worse at night and early morning, worse with triggers, better in between.
- Wheezing, particularly when breathing out
- Breathlessness, especially on exertion
- A dry cough, often worse at night or in the early morning
- Chest tightness
- Symptoms that worsen with cold air, dust, smoke, exercise or infection
- Waking at night because of cough or breathlessness
- Needing a reliever inhaler more than a couple of times a week
Causes and risk factors
Asthma results from an underlying tendency, then triggers that set off attacks. Identifying your own triggers is a large part of managing it.
- Family history of asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis
- Allergies — dust mites, pollen, moulds, animals
- Air pollution, which is a substantial factor across the Delhi NCR
- Smoke, including tobacco, incense, mosquito coils and cooking smoke
- Respiratory infections
- Cold air, and sudden weather change
- Exercise, in some people
- Strong smells, perfumes and cleaning products
- Certain medicines, including some painkillers
When to seek help
The first group needs emergency care today. The second warrants an appointment.
Go to emergency now
- Severe breathlessness, or being unable to complete a sentence
- A reliever inhaler that is not working, or wearing off within an hour or two
- Blue lips, drowsiness or confusion
- Silent chest — struggling to breathe with little wheeze audible
- In a child: chest sucking in with each breath, grunting, or refusing to feed
Book an appointment
- Needing a reliever inhaler more than twice a week
- Waking at night with cough or breathlessness
- Symptoms limiting exercise, school or work
- More than one course of oral steroids in a year
- Uncertainty about how to use your inhaler
- A cough lasting more than three weeks
How it is diagnosed
Diagnosis rests on the pattern of symptoms plus a demonstration that airflow is obstructed and improves with treatment.
- History of the pattern of symptoms and triggers
- Lung function testing, and how much it improves after a bronchodilator
- Peak flow measurement, sometimes recorded at home over time
- Allergy assessment where triggers need identifying
- Chest imaging where the diagnosis is unclear or another cause is suspected
Treatment
Treatment has two parts that are frequently confused: a preventer taken daily whether or not you have symptoms, and a reliever taken when you do.
Preventer inhaler
Usually an inhaled steroid, taken every day. It reduces the underlying inflammation and is what actually controls asthma. It does not help during an attack.
Reliever inhaler
Opens the airways within minutes during symptoms. Needing it often is a sign that control is inadequate, not that it is working well.
Inhaler technique
A large share of poorly controlled asthma is medication that never reaches the airways. Technique is checked at every review, and a spacer often helps.
Trigger management
Reducing exposure to dust, smoke and pollution where possible, and treating accompanying allergic rhinitis.
A written action plan
What to do as symptoms worsen, what dose to increase, and when to seek help — decided in advance rather than during an attack.
Living with it
Asthma is largely self-managed between reviews.
- Take the preventer daily, including when you feel completely well
- Carry your reliever at all times
- Bring all your inhalers to every appointment so technique can be checked
- Know your action plan, and make sure family or school know it too
- Avoid tobacco smoke entirely, including second-hand
- Consider a mask and reduced outdoor exertion on high-pollution days
- Keep up with vaccination against respiratory infection as advised
Frequently asked questions
Can asthma be cured?
It is a long-term condition rather than something cured, but that matters less than people expect: with the right treatment most people have minimal or no symptoms and full normal activity. Some children's asthma improves considerably as they grow, though the tendency can return later.
Are steroid inhalers safe for long-term use?
Inhaled steroids deliver a very small dose directly to the airways, quite different from steroid tablets, and are considered safe for long-term use at standard doses. The risk of uncontrolled asthma — repeated attacks and long-term airway damage — is considerably greater than the risk of the inhaler. Rinsing your mouth after use reduces local side effects.
Why do I need a preventer if the reliever works?
Because they do different jobs. The reliever opens the airways temporarily but does nothing about the inflammation underneath, so attacks keep coming. The preventer treats that inflammation. Relying on the reliever alone is the commonest reason asthma stays poorly controlled.
Can I exercise with asthma?
Yes — and you should. Well-controlled asthma is not a reason to avoid exercise, and many competitive athletes have it. If exercise triggers your symptoms, that is a sign your control needs reviewing rather than that you should stop.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your history, medication or test results. Please speak to a qualified doctor about your own symptoms and treatment. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate help.
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