Disclaimer: This guide is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
If you are experiencing an emergency, go to your nearest hospital or call 000.
What is it?
Asthma is a common, long-term chronic condition that affects the airways. It cannot be cured, but there are several treatments available. If you suspect you or someone you care for might have asthma, you should see a doctor.
People with asthma experience episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness, and fatigue due to the narrowing of their airways.
This condition affects both children and adults and can appear at any age or stage of life. While there is no cure for asthma, it can usually be well controlled, allowing most people with the condition to stay active and lead healthy lives.
Causes of asthma
Many factors have been associated with an increased risk of developing asthma, though identifying a single, direct cause is often challenging.
- Genetics play a significant role, and many individuals with asthma have a family history of asthma, eczema, or hay fever.
- Asthma is more prevalent in people who have other allergic conditions, such as eczema and rhinitis (hay fever).
- The likelihood of children developing asthma appears to be elevated by maternal smoking during pregnancy or exposure to smoke around infants or young children.
- Thunderstorm asthma can occur abruptly in spring or summer when there is a high concentration of pollen in the air, combined with hot, dry, windy, and stormy weather.
Symptoms
Asthma symptoms can differ greatly from individual to individual and can sometimes intensify significantly, leading to what is known as an asthma attack. Symptoms often become more severe at night or during physical exertion.
In children, asthma symptoms can be more challenging to detect because their smaller airways make even slight changes in airway function more noticeable. Children may not always be able to articulate their symptoms, so caregivers need to use all their senses to understand what might be occurring.
Not everyone with asthma will exhibit the same symptoms, and some may not experience all the common symptoms associated with the condition.
Typical asthma symptoms include:
- A persistent cough, especially at night
- Wheezing during exhalation and sometimes during inhalation
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sometimes even at rest
- Chest tightness, making it hard to breathe deeply
Asthma is more likely to be diagnosed if your symptoms:
- Keep recurring or occur at the same time each year
- Are worse at night or early in the morning
- Are clearly triggered by physical activity, allergies, infections, or have a seasonal pattern
- Improve quickly with reliever medication
Your doctor will use information about your symptoms and overall health to determine if you need further testing or treatment, which could include things like spirometry (breathing or lung function) test, allergy testing or initiating asthma treatment to see if it is effective.
Normal lung vs. asthmatic lung
How we can help
We provide a convenient and secure system for you to see a doctor from the comfort of your own home, or on the go with your smart device. You can have a video call on-demand by joining the queue for the next available doctor, or schedule an appointment at a time that suits you. We’re open every day, 24 hours a day – including public holidays – because we know illness and injury don’t adhere to conventional practice hours.
Much like a traditional appointment, your telehealth doctor will conduct a comprehensive assessment, including:
- pre-existing conditions, family history and lifestyle.
- preferred treatments and ability to access them.
- individualised advice to treat your condition.
- referrals or scripts at the discretion of the doctor.
Why choose doctors on demand?
Talk to a doctor about asthma.
Our patients choose us for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, to addressing specific concerns such as hair loss and acne – or simply because they need a medical certificate or referral. Choose from over 150 doctors with a wide range of qualifications, experiences, and fluency in 31 languages to find the right fit for you. All our doctors are registered in Australia by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) for a minimum of 3 years.