Asthma in adolescents and adults

Asthma is a common condition that affects the airways in your lungs.

People with asthma have sensitive airways that become inflamed (swollen) when exposed to triggers. Inflammation makes your airways narrow and this makes it difficult to breathe.

Sometimes asthma can flare up and your symptoms can become worse than usual. This is known as an 'asthma attack'.

In Australia, asthma affects 1 in 9 adults, and 1 in 5 children. But anyone can develop asthma, even if you didn't have it as a child.

This article is mainly about asthma in adults and adolescents (aged 12 years old and up).

You can read more about asthma in children under 6 years old.

While asthma symptoms vary from person to person, the most common signs of asthma in adults and adolescents are:

• difficulty breathing
• wheezing
• coughing
• tightness in the chest

Having difficulty breathing may mean that you feel breathless, even while resting.

An asthma related cough can occur:

• at certain times (for example, at night, early in the morning or during cool weather)
• after certain activities (such as exercise)

An asthma attack may feel like you are not getting enough air. Some people say it feels like breathing through a straw. It can happen very quickly, such as after exposure to smoke. It can also happen slowly over hours or days, such as after getting a cold.

During a severe asthma attack, you may notice more serious symptoms, such as:

• difficulty speaking — it might be hard to finish sentences before needing to take another breath
• blue lips
• your reliever medicine does not help
• feeling very distressed or exhausted from trying to breathe
• deep sucking motions at your throat or chest while trying to breathe
• drowsiness

A serious asthma flare up needs urgent medical attention from a doctor or hospital emergency department.

You can have an asthma attack even if your symptoms are usually mild or well controlled. If you have a serious asthma attack, seek medical care.

During pregnancy, asthma changes in different ways for different people. Your symptoms may get better or get worse.

Don't stop taking your preventer medicine while you're pregnant. Taking your prescribed medicines is safer for you and your baby than having uncontrolled asthma.

Read more about asthma and pregnancy here.

Experts aren't sure why some people get asthma and others don't. You are more likely to have asthma if someone in your immediate family has:

• asthma
• hay fever
• allergies
• eczema

Adults can also develop asthma after extended exposure to:

• air pollution, such as fumes that irritate your lungs
• breathing in dust that you're allergic to

Athletes can get asthma if they constantly train hard while inhaling polluted, cold or dry air.

Asthma triggers

Common triggers of asthma symptoms are:

• allergens such as pollen, dust, food items and mould (allergic asthma)
• smoke from cigarettes, bushfires and traffic pollution
• other irritants such as cleaning products, perfumes, aerosol products and some workplace chemicals
• physical activity
• infection from viruses

Asthma triggered by physical activity is known as exercise-induced asthma. Asthma triggered by allergens in the air during stormy weather is known as thunderstorm asthma.

You can read more about potential asthma triggers (Opens in new tab) on the National Asthma Council (Opens in new tab) website.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and also about your medical history. They may also ask about your family health, such as whether your close relatives have asthma or allergies.

Your doctor may arrange for you to have:

• breathing tests, such as a spirometry test, which measures how well your lungs are working
• a FeNO test, which measures nitric oxide in your breath and shows how much inflammation (swelling) is in your lungs

Your doctor may suggest you have allergy testing, as asthma symptoms can be triggered by known allergies.

Your doctor will also rule out other causes of your symptoms, like COVID-19. Read more about COVID-19 and severe asthma here (Opens in new tab).

Read about asthma diagnosis in children under 6 years of age.

Asthma treatment helps stop your asthma symptoms from interfering with normal life. Treatment also helps to prevent flare-ups or attacks.

Your doctor may prescribe or suggest these treatments.

Medicines for asthma

There are 2 main types of asthma medicines:

1. preventers/controllers
2. relievers

Asthma medicines are usually taken as an inhaler. Some people also need tablets or injections. Inhalers can be used with a spacer to make the medicine easier to take. Your treatment will depend on:

• how severe your asthma is
• how old you are
• your lifestyle

Using inhalers and spacers properly takes practice. It's important to learn to use these devices properly, to get the medicine into your lungs.

You can watch the National Asthma Council's how-to videos on how to use your inhaler (Opens in new tab).

Asthma relievers

Asthma reliever inhalers help open your airways quickly to relieve your symptoms during an asthma attack. They work within minutes.

In adults and adolescents, current guidelines recommend an anti-inflammatory reliever that has two medicines in one inhaler. These medicines can relieve your symptoms and lower your chance of having more serious asthma flare-ups.

Another common reliever medicine is salbutamol (Ventolin). If you only have a blue or grey reliever inhaler, visit your doctor to find out what other treatments you might benefit from.

Asthma preventers or controllers

Asthma preventer medicine helps prevent asthma attacks and keeps your asthma under control. Preventer medicines usually contain low doses of corticosteroids that are like the steroids your body produces. These treatments reduce inflammation in your airways.

Preventer medicine usually comes as an inhaler. They can be taken every day or only during a flare up. This may depend on how severe your asthma is.

Many preventer inhalers include a combination of a corticosteroid and a long-acting reliever medicine.

Another preventer is a tablet called montelukast.

Oral corticosteroids, such as prednisolone tablets, are taken by mouth. Sometimes, short courses of oral corticosteroids may be used to help manage asthma flare-ups. These are taken only when other medicines do not work.

If you need a course of corticosteroids to control your symptoms, ask your doctor for a focused review of your asthma so that you have all the information and tools that you need to prevent a future flare-up.

Some people have severe asthma that can't be controlled, even if they correctly take high doses of inhaled treatment. If your asthma is uncontrolled, you may need to see a respiratory (lung) specialist for add-on treatment. This might be an injection.

For more information on the treatment of severe asthma (Opens in new tab), you can visit the Asthma Australia website.

Watch this video from Asthma Australia (Opens in new tab) on asthma preventers.

If you have asthma, you and your doctor will put together an asthma action plan. This is a set of instructions just for you. It includes:

• a list of your usual asthma medicines and doses
• how to recognise symptoms of an asthma attack
• advice on what to do in an asthma emergency or if your symptoms get worse
• your doctor's contact details

You can see examples of asthma action plans here (Opens in new tab).

See your doctor every year to keep your asthma action plan up to date.

Asthma can't be prevented entirely. However, there are some things you can do to reduce your chance of an asthma attack and live well with asthma.

• Quit smoking or vaping and avoid any second-hand smoke (passive smoking).
• It's important to get vaccinated against influenza (flu) each year. Flu and other respiratory viruses are common triggers for asthma.
• Treating allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and avoiding any allergy triggers will help control your asthma. Asthma and allergies are closely linked.
• Being overweight or obese makes your asthma harder to manage. A balanced diet helps you to keep a healthy weight.
• It is also important to care for yourself — mental health and asthma are linked. If you have been feeling sad or anxious, talk to your doctor.

Poorly controlled asthma can have a negative effect on your life. Complications may include:

• fatigue or exhaustion
• poor sleep
• being less productive at work or while studying
• being unable to exercise and be physically active
• reduced lung function
• poor mental health

Taking your medicines as prescribed is important. If you feel that your asthma is affecting your quality of life, see your doctor. They can review your medicines.

Find out more about the 2025 update to the Australian Asthma Handbook (Opens in new tab) and what it means to people living with asthma.

For more information and support, try these resources:

• Call Asthma Australia (Opens in new tab) on 1800 278 462 to talk with an Asthma Educator.
• Read the National Asthma Council's My Asthma Guide (Opens in new tab) to help you understand and manage your asthma.

The National Asthma Council Australia (Opens in new tab) has asthma information in languages (Opens in new tab) other than English.

Asthma Australia (Opens in new tab) has asthma information and videos in languages (Opens in new tab) other than English.

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne also has an asthma factsheet (Opens in new tab) in other languages.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.