The information contained in these pages is intended to give a brief outline of Asthma, how the disease is diagnosed, treatments available and how to look after yourself on a daily basis and during an exacerbation of your condition. The information is intended to be brief and relate to the management of your condition in Fife. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and My Lungs My Life websites have in-depth information covering all aspects of a patient’s Asthma journey.  

What is Asthma? 

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways - the tubes that provide passage for air in and out of the lungs. 

When a person with asthma comes into contact with something that irritates their airways (an asthma trigger), the muscles around the walls of the airways can tighten so that airways become narrower and the lining of the airways becomes inflamed / starts to swell. Sometimes sticky mucus or phlegm builds up, which can further narrow the airways. 

The combination of muscle tightening, airways lining swelling and new /increased mucus cause the airways to become narrower - making it difficult to breath and leading to symptoms of asthma. 

Common / main symptoms include: 

  • coughing 
  • wheezing 
  • shortness of breath 
  • tightness in the chest 
  • Not everyone will get all of these symptoms. Some people experience them from time to time; a few people may experience these symptoms all the time. Some people with asthma only have a cough.

How is Asthma Diagnosed? 

The diagnosis of asthma can often be made on the clinical symptoms and can be associated with allergy, childhood wheeze, and a positive family history without any tests, often in the absence of a smoking history.

Tests may be required to support a clinical suspicion of asthma and include peak flow test, spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide test. 

  • Peak flow test – you blow into a handheld device that measures lung capacity, and this may be done several times over a few weeks to see if it changes over time.
  • Spirometry – you blow into a machine that measures how much air you can hold in your lungs.
  • FeNO test – you breathe into a machine that measures the level of nitric oxide in your breath, which is a sign of allergy in your lungs.