Asthma Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs and airways, which is characterised by symptoms of breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. Asthma attacks come and go, with wide variation in the symptoms at different times.
Some children grow out of asthma and some people are only affected at different times of the year.
Asthma attacks can be set off by different things called triggers, such as allergens, pollution, some foods, cigarette smoke, cold air, vigorous exercise or stress. These triggers cause the airways to become swollen and inflammed, which leaves less room for the air to pass in and out. Asthma can also sometimes run in families. There is no cure for asthma, but there are different types of medicines that will help to keep it under control. Most sufferers must be given a type of medicine called a preventer, which is usually an anti-inflammatory glucocorticosteroid, that treats the underlying causes of the asthma.