B is for:
Breathlessness - one of the four main symptoms of asthma. The others are coughing, a tight chest and wheezing.
Brittle asthma - a rare form of asthma in which severe symptoms occur very rapidly, often for no apparent reason. These attacks can be difficult to manage and require special treatment.
Bronchodilator - medication used to treat acute asthma symptoms (a reliever). Bronchodilators quickly relax the muscles around the airways and make breathing easier. They don't, however, treat inflammation so most people with asthma also need to use a preventer.
C is for:
CFC-free inhalers - over the next couple of years, current puffer-type inhalers will be replaced by CFC-free inhalers, which cause less harm to the environment. The medicines used in these inhalers will be identical to today's preventers and relievers.
Complementary therapy - recent years have seen a rapid growth of interest in complementary therapies for asthma, but little is known about their effectiveness, or their side effects. Ask your doctor before using complementary therapies and always maintain your usual asthma medication.
Corticosteroids - a group of chemicals produced naturally in the body by the adrenal gland. When the doctor prescribes a steroid inhaler for your asthma, it will contain a corticosteroid. This helps your body fight the inflammation in the airways which causes your asthma symptoms. Corticosteroids are not the same as the anabolic steroids used by some athletes and body builders to build up muscle.
Cough - the most common asthma symptom, usually worse at night or during exercise.
D is for:
Dry powder inhaler - there are a number of dry powder inhalers currently available (for example, rotahaler, diskhaler, autohaler, spinhaler, turbohaler). These devices release a dry powder automatically as you breathe in through the mouthpiece. They are particularly suitable for those who find it difficult to co-ordinate the aerosols used in metered dose inhalers.
Dust - up to 85 per cent of people with allergic asthma are sensitive to house-dust mites. These tiny creatures live in the dust that builds up around the house. Carpets, bedding and soft furnishings are their favourite abode. The best way to avoid them is to use barrier covers on your bedding and to vacuum and damp dust regularly.
Desensitisation - a method of reducing or preventing a person's sensitivity to an allergen (for example, cats and pollen). Small quantities of the allergen are given regularly by injection over a long period of time (sometimes 2 to 3 years) and resistance is built up. This treatment should only be undertaken at a specialist allergy clinic and is not always suitable for people whose asthma symptoms are usually brought on by more than one trigger.
E is for:
Eczema - an allergic skin condition that makes skin dry, sore cracked and itchy. Eczema, hayfever and asthma are all part of the same family of allergy-related conditions. Some people with asthma have eczema themselves or have family members with eczema.
Exercise - exercise is good for everyone, including people with asthma, as long as they take proper precautions. Good exercises for people with asthma include team games where you can take regular breaks and indoor swimming, which keeps you away from cold air. Always remember to warm up before you exercise and keep your inhaler with you or close at hand.
F is for:
Flu - a very common asthma trigger and one that is almost impossible to avoid. If your asthma is very bad you may need a flu vaccination in early autumn.
Food - in rare cases, dairy products, fish, nuts, peanuts, yeast products, wheat and shellfish can trigger asthma symptoms. Additives such as monosodium glutamate, tartrazine (E102) and preservatives can also cause problems. Talk to your doctor if you think that something in your diet could be making your asthma worse.
G is for:
Grass - one of the main sources of pollen, especially from May to August, which causes an allergic reaction for almost 90 per cent of people with hay fever.
Growing out of asthma - most young people find that their asthma symptoms ease off or even stop altogether as they grow up. People with asthma will always have a tendency to have asthma, but it may remain dormant for many years. Nobody literally grows out of asthma and about two-thirds of people find that their symptoms return in later life.
H is for:
Hay fever - an allergy to pollen and mould spores. Most problems occur during the summer, although different pollens are released at various times of the year. It is not unusual to have hay fever symptoms throughout the year - this is sometimes referred to as perennial allergic rhinitis.
Heredity - asthma, like hay fever and eczema, is a condition that tends to run in the family. Research has shown that if only the mother has asthma, the child is more likely to develop it than if only the father has asthma.
Hormone levels - can trigger asthma symptoms in some women, especially before periods.
Housing - damp housing can cause problems for people with asthma, particularly those who are allergic to fungal spores.
I is for:
Inflammation - everyone who has asthma has inflamed (red and swollen) airways. Medication (called preventers) can reduce inflammation and help to control asthma symptoms.
Inhaler - a device that delivers a small amount of asthma medication directly to the airways where it is needed. Inhalers come in many colours, shapes and sizes, but they usually contain one of two basic types of medicine - preventers or relievers.
J is for:
Junior Asthma Club - the National Asthma Campaign's fun club for children with asthma aged between 4 and 12 years of age. Members receive a quarterly magazine, A for Asthma, together with other goodies throughout the year.
L is for:
Latex - a synthetic rubber used to make protective gloves and similar products. Some people are allergic to latex itself, while the powder used in latex gloves (to make them easier to put on) is also a major cause of occupational asthma.
Lino flooring - carpets make an ideal home for house-dust mites, so lino and wooden floors, which are much easier to get really clean, are better for people with asthma. Wooden or plastic blinds are better than curtains for the same reason.
M is for:
Metered dose inhalers (MDI) - the most commonly used inhaler device. They are sometimes called aerosol inhalers or puffers. When you activate the inhaler, the medicine is released in a fine mist which you breathe in. A degree of co-ordination is needed to operate the inhalers effectively. For this reason MDIs are not suitable for children under 12 years without a spacer device. Some older people may also find them difficult to use.
Mucus - people with asthma have airways that are almost always red and sensitive (inflamed). This prolonged inflammation causes mucus to develop and can lead to build up in the airways making it even harder to breathe.
N is for:
Nebuliser - a machine which breaks up liquid medication into tiny droplets, forming a mist which you can then breathe into your lungs. Nebulisers may be advised for people with chronic asthma or young children who are experiencing an acute severe attack of asthma. Only a small percentage of people with asthma need to use nebulisers regularly and long-term. To make sure nebulisers are used safely, they need to be used under the supervision of your GP or hospital consultant.
Nocturnal asthma - coughing, wheezing or a tight chest in the night is generally a sign that your asthma is not under control, even if it is controlled during the day. Talk to your doctor or practice nurse about altering your medication to ensure that you get a good night's sleep.
O is for:
Occupational asthma - every year about 1,500 people in the UK develop asthma because of substances they come across at work. Some of the most common culprits are chemicals, dust from flour, grain or wood and latex rubber.
P is for:
Peak flow - a measure of how fast you can breathe out. A peak-flow meter can be used to help diagnose asthma. Recording peak flow readings at particular times of the day using a self-management plan can also help you monitor your symptoms. Peak flow meters are available on prescription.
Pets - many people find that being near an animal or bird can trigger severe asthma symptoms. Problems can occur even when the animal is not present because pet allergens tend to linger in soft furnishings and carpets.
Pollen - tiny grains given off by flowers, grasses and trees, which trigger hay fever. Pollen can also trigger asthma symptoms in some people.
Pollution - while there is no evidence that air pollution causes asthma to develop in the first place, there is little doubt that it does trigger some people's asthma symptoms. Air pollutants like cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes and industrial fumes release gases and particles into the atmosphere that can irritate your airways.
Preventer - medication that soothes airway linings and helps to prevent asthma attacks. Preventers, which are usually steroid-based, work over a period of time so they should be taken regularly. Preventers cannot be used to treat asthma attacks.
Puffers - a popular name for metered dose inhalers - one of the most commonly used asthma inhalers.
Q is for:
Quality of care - good asthma care depends on a partnership between informed patients and health professionals. The National Asthma Campaign believes that people with asthma have a right to expect equal access to the best possible asthma care delivered by experienced and committed health professionals according to nationally-agreed guidelines.
R is for:
Reliever - medication that relaxes the muscles of the airways, helping to relieve asthma symptoms. It is the most frequently used type of anti-asthma drug. Relievers are best used when needed rather than on a regular basis. If you need to use your reliever medication on a daily basis you should also be using a preventer treatment.
Research - the National Asthma Campaign is the largest funder of independent, non-commercial asthma research in the UK. Last year, the charity spent £2.7 million on vital asthma research.
Rhinitis - inflammation of the lining of the nose - similar to the process of asthma in the airways. The symptoms of rhinitis are a blocked, runny or itchy nose, or sneezing. Grass pollen is the most common trigger for rhinitis (this is sometimes called seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever). Other people can experience problems all year round. This is called perennial allergic rhinitis.
S is for:
Skin prick tests - a test to check whether a person is allergic to certain triggers. Standard skin prick tests detect allergens that float in the air such as house-dust mite and pet allergens. These can be carried out in the doctors surgery or by a trained practice nurse. Skin prick testing for other allergens such as food or occupational allergens are more likely to be carried out in specialist centres.
Smoking - smoking is bad for everyone, but it is particularly dangerous for people with asthma. Most people with asthma find that smoking makes their symptoms worse. Smoking can also cause permanent damage to their airways. Smoking during pregnancy has been shown to increase a child's chances of developing asthma.
Spacer - a large plastic container, which usually comes in two halves that click together. Spacers make aerosol inhalers easier to use and more effective.
Steroids - the most commonly used preventer medication. Steroids act over a period of time to calm inflammation in the airways and reduce the number of attacks. Properly called corticosteroids, these treatments should not be confused with the anabolic steroids used by bodybuilders. For a free copy of our booklet Steroids for Asthma, call the distribution team on 0207 226 2260.
T is for:
Triggers - factors which may bring on symptoms or attacks of asthma. They do not cause asthma in the first place. They can either be allergic triggers, such as house-dust mite or pollen or non-allergic triggers such as viral infections, cold air, cigarette smoke and exercise.
U is for:
Uncontrolled asthma - if your asthma is uncontrolled you are more likely to experience increased asthma symptoms. Talk to your doctor or practice nurse about an asthma management plan to help you to control your asthma.
V is for:
Ventolin - a brand name for salbutamol, one of the most common reliever medications.
Virus - viral infections are one of the most common triggers for asthma. They are impossible to avoid, but you can lessen their effects by taking your preventer regularly. Your doctor may also advise you to increase the dose of your preventer while you are ill.
W is for:
Weather - some people with asthma find that sudden changes in temperature, cold air, windy weather, humidity and poor air quality can trigger their symptoms.
Wheezing - making a high-pitched, or whistling, sound when you breathe in and out. It is one of the main symptoms of asthma. Others symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and a tight feeling in the chest.
X is for:
X-ray - sometimes used to help doctors rule out other respiratory conditions, particularly in older patients.
Y is for:
Yoga - some people with asthma find that yoga can be helpful as a form of relaxation. Asthma can sometimes be triggered by stress, so yoga or other forms of relaxation can be of real benefit in helping you feel calmer and more able to control your symptoms when the tension mounts.
Z is for:
Zone - the National Asthma Campaign provides free self-management plans to help you monitor and control your asthma symptoms. Each plan includes four asthma zones, each containing advice on action to be taken when symptoms occur. For your self-management plan for adults or children, call the distribution team on 0207 704 5853.
