What does it mean to have asthma?

Many people may have been surprised to see David Beckham pictured using an asthma inhaler at the weekend while playing for LA Galaxy.

His agent Simon Oliveira commented: "David has suffered with this since he was a young boy but it has obviously had no effect on his performance." Obviously.

But he is not the only elite athlete who has refused to let asthma stand in the way of sporting success.

A surprising number of sport superstars have learnt how to successfully manage their condition including David Beckham's former Manchester United team mate Paul Scholes, marathon runner Paula Radcliffe, gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, Chelsea footballer Frank Lampard, cricketers Ian Botham and Darren Gough and nine times Olympic gold medallist swimmer Mark Spitz.

What is asthma?

Asthma affects the small airways, or bronchioles, which carry air in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma, your airways are almost always sensitive, so if they come into contact with something they’re allergic to, or something that irritates them (a trigger), breathing becomes laboured (as a result of increased inflammation and narrowing of the airways) and an asthma attack occurs.

Asthma is now the most common chronic condition in the West, affecting over 100 million people worldwide. In the UK alone, a total of 5.1 million people have asthma – that’s 1 in 10 children and 1 in 12 adults, and asthma is responsible for 69,000 hospital admittances every year.

In every classroom, it's not unusual for three children to be on asthma inhalers.

Why is it becoming more common?

Although doctors do not know the exact causes of asthma, there are many aspects of modern living that are thought to have contributed to the rise in sufferers.

These include: less exposure to ‘general dirt’ in the home environment, along with increased use of cleaning chemicals, air fresheners and aerosols used to improve home-hygiene; an increase in traffic fumes (especially diesel); changes in diet; and changes in housing – central heating, double glazing, as well as smoking in the home, all of which cause the air to become warm and dry.

What are the symptoms?

Asthma symptoms can vary from person to person, but it’s often characterised by coughing or wheezing, shortness of breath, or a tight feeling in the chest. Despite popular opinion, wheezing does not always occur – in fact, a dry irritating cough is the most common symptom of asthma!

Asthma can begin at any age. Some people experience symptoms during childhood which disappear in later life, while others develop 'late-onset' asthma as an adult, even though they never had symptoms as a child. Footballer Paul Scholes was diagnosed at the age of 21.

What causes my asthma attacks?

Just as the symptoms vary, so do the things that can cause an attack – these are known as triggers.

Triggers can range from something in the air, such as house dust mites, cigarette smoke or pollen, to exercise or even emotions.

Certain foods can induce an attack in some people while for others something as benign as exposure to cold air can be responsible. In many cases several triggers may combine to make the airway more sensitive and bring on an asthma attack, such as breathing in traffic fumes then inhaling cigarette smoke.

If you have asthma and are unsure of what brings on your attacks, try keeping a diary of when asthma-like symptoms occur, and the possible triggers you have been exposed to at the time. This can help you and your doctor identify trigger patterns, and determine what you should avoid to minimise attacks.

What can be done?

Treatment for asthma comes in two forms: preventers and relievers.

Preventers are taken over a period of time, to help control swelling and mucus in the airways. Most preventers are steroid-based. However, don’t worry, they are not the same steroids used by bodybuilders. So you won’t suddenly develop biceps the size of tree trunks!

Relievers, on the other hand, are drugs that relax and open up the airways and are prescribed during an actual asthma attack to ease breathing. Some relievers alleviate symptoms almost instantly. These are known as rescue relievers, while long-lasting relievers have, as their name suggests, a longer lasting effect.

Both treatments are administered through devices known as inhalers, which allow the medication to be breathed straight into the lungs where it’s needed.

The good news is that asthma is a manageable condition. Doctors and patients can work together to keep attacks to a minimum, and with so many effective treatment options available, asthma certainly need not be a barrier to full and enjoyable living – just look at Paul Scholes and Paula Radcliffe for example! And now of course David Beckham.

More information

Asthma UK: http://www.asthma.org.uk

This article was published on Wed 25 November 2009