Asthma: what is it and what are the symptoms

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. Cross section of airways with and without inflammation and smooth muscle contraction. When a person with asthma comes into contact with something that irritates their airways (an asthma trigger), the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten so that the airways become narrower and the lining of the airways becomes inflamed and starts to swell. Sometimes sticky mucus or phlegm builds up which can further narrow the airways.

All these reactions cause the airways to become narrower and irritated - making it difficult to breath and leading to symptoms of asthma.

5.2m people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.
1.1m children in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.
There is a person with asthma in one in five households in the UK.

The usual symptoms of asthma are:

coughing
wheezing
shortness of breath
tightness in the chest.

Not everyone will get all of these symptoms. Some people experience them from time to time; a few people may experience these symptoms all the time.