Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways of your lungs. Your airways are the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. There are two main problems in asthma: swelling and increased mucus (inflammation) in the airways, and squeezing of the muscles around the airways (bronchospasm). These problems can make it hard to breathe. Taking medicines and avoiding things that trigger asthma can help control asthma. This fact sheet will address the basics of asthma—what it is, how it is diagnosed, and what are some common triggers.¹

How does one know if they have asthma?

Common symptoms of asthma include:

• Cough—often dry and can have harsh bursts
• Wheezing—a whistling sound mainly when you breathe out through narrowed airways
• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath which may occur with activity or even at rest When you are having a problem with asthma, you may feel like you are breathing through a straw because it is hard to move air through your narrowed airways. Cough is often a first symptom of an asthma problem. Cough most often occurs at night or early in the morning. While asthma is a chronic disease, you may not have symptoms every day. You may have days with cough, wheeze and/or shortness of breath and other days when you feel completely fine. If you have symptoms often and/ or they are interfering with your activities, you should talk to your healthcare provider. An “asthma attack” means rapid and severe worsening of your asthma. If you think you are having an asthma attack, follow the emergency (red zone) Action Plan that you developed with your healthcare provider. If you are not getting better, or getting worse, you should immediately seek emergency care.¹

What triggers asthma symptoms?

If you have asthma, your airways are more sensitive than normal. Your airways can get irritated easily when exposed to a variety of things, called “triggers.” Exposure to triggers can lead to both muscle spasm and inflammation/swelling described above. Sometimes asthma symptoms occur right away after you are exposed. Sometimes your symptoms may occur hours later. You have to be a detective and think about what may be around you that can trigger your asthma. Knowing and avoiding your triggers can help with asthma control. There may be some triggers that you cannot avoid or control and may need treatment to keep them from causing asthma symptoms. Some common triggers of asthma include allergies, respiratory infections, stress, exercise, and medications.²

Allergies:

Allergies are reactions of your immune system as it responds to things in the environment (allergens) that often do not cause most people harm. Having allergies can run in families (be inherited). You may have any or all of these reactions with exposure to allergens:

• skin rashes (eczema or hives)
• nose and sinus problems (rhinitis)
• eye irritation (conjunctivitis)
• asthma symptoms
• severe reaction (anaphylaxis) Symptoms of nasal allergies include sneezing, itching, runny nose, postnasal drip into the back of your throat, or nasal congestion. If you have nasal allergy problems that are not well controlled, this can also worsen asthma control. If you have allergies, you may be more likely to have asthma. Common allergens include:
• Pollen from weeds, trees, grasses
• Molds
• Cat or dog
• Dust mites and cockroaches¹

Nutrition in asthma:

An emerging body of evidence suggests that diet plays an important role in both the development and management of asthma. The relationship between dietary intake and asthma risk has been explored in epidemiological studies, though intervention trials examining the effects of nutrient intake and dietary patterns on asthma management are scarce. Evidence for diets high in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber such as the Mediterranean diet is conflicting. However, some studies suggest that these diets may reduce the risk of asthma, particularly in young children, and could have positive effects on disease management. In contrast, a Westernized dietary pattern, high in saturated fatty acids, refined grains, and sugars may promote an inflammatory environment resulting in the onset of disease and worsening of asthma outcomes.²