Asthma myths

'I blame all these cars.'  

Myth: Pollution from cars causes asthma.
This sounds very plausible - it seems logical to expect dirty air to cause respiratory conditions. But, while there is some evidence that traffic pollution can make existing asthma worse, there is little or no evidence that pollution from either traffic or industry actually causes asthma to develop in the first place.

'Move to Cornwall - it'll do you good.'

Myth: Living in the countryside is better for your asthma than living in the city.
Another idea that seems sensible but isn't supported by the facts. It's true that countries that are basically rural, particularly in the third world, have very little asthma compared to western countries, but nobody has yet found a reason for the difference.  Within western countries, researchers have found no differences in the rates of asthma between rural and urban areas. Asthma is no more common in inner London than it is in the Scottish highlands.

'Pull yourself together - it's all in your head.' 

Myth: Asthma is all in the mind.

Asthma has long been associated with 'nervousness' and, to the casual observer, it can seem that anxiety and asthma are linked. Research has shown, however, that asthma is a physical, not a psychological, condition. Emotional factors such as stress, excitement and laughter are triggers for some people but they do not cause asthma to develop in the first place. Panicking during an asthma attack will make your symptoms worse, so always try to stay calm.

'Keep well away from me - I don't want to catch asthma.'

Myth: Asthma is an infectious disease.

Not true. You can't catch asthma from another person. However, it is true that asthma can be passed on through the genes or from one generation to the next. We can't say for sure that a child whose parents have asthma will definitely develop it - just that they are more likely to develop the condition than someone who has no family history of asthma.

'Seven is the magic number.' 

Myth: Asthma goes in seven-year cycles.
One of the more obscure myths about asthma is that it goes in cycles from mild to severe and back again roughly every seven years. While people with asthma do undoubtedly go through periods when their asthma gets better or worse, there is no evidence that this follows a regular pattern.

Busting the myths about steroids 

Corticosteroids, often simply called steroids, have helped millions of people cope with all sorts of medical conditions. Here we take a look at the most common worries about using steroids to treat asthma.

'You'll end up looking like a bodybuilder.'

Myth: Steroids used for asthma give you big muscles.
Most people's knowledge of 'steroids' relates to their use by bodybuilders and athletes to increase muscle mass and improve performance.  However, steroids used by bodybuilders are completely different to the steroids used to treat asthma. Bodybuilders use anabolic steroids, which mimic the effects of the male hormone testosterone.

Asthma is treated with corticosteroids, which are derived from hormones produced naturally by the body to combat inflammation.

'It'll stop her growing.' 

Myth: Steroids stunt children's growth.
A recent study of more than 3,000 children aged between one and 15 years found that the typical doses of inhaled steroids used to treat asthma have no effect on growth in children. Only those few children who had severe asthma and were on very high doses of inhaled steroids (more than 800mcg) were shorter and lighter than the average for their age. Even here it is impossible to blame the steroids because other factors, including severe asthma itself, can restrict growth.

Other studies have found that some children with quite severe asthma reach adolescence later than their peers. This can delay the growth spurt associated with puberty. These children do, however, reach their full, predicted height later in their teenage years.

'Do you want to get fat?' 

Myth: Steroids make you put on weight.
Inhaled steroids have no effect on the appetite so they do not lead to any gain in weight. The use of steroid tablets over a long time (months or years) can increase the appetite and thereby lead to some increase in weight. If you try to stick to your usual eating habits and take regular exercise, you should avoid putting on weight. Long-term use of high-dose steroid tablets can also occasionally lead to fullness of the face ('moonface'). Your doctor will always try to prescribe the lowest dose of steroids to keep your asthma under control while minimising the risk of side effects.

'You'll get brittle bones.'

Myth: All steroids cause osteoporosis.
This is not true for people taking normal doses of steroids. People with extremely severe asthma may be prescribed high doses of steroid tablets (over 5mg per day) for a period of months or years. This can lead to quite serious side effects including osteoporosis. In these cases the risks of treatment are far less than the risks involved in allowing asthma symptoms to remain uncontrolled.

Myths supplied by the National Asthma Campaign (www.asthma.org.uk)

 We are indebted to the National Asthma Campaign for their help in compiling this section