Wheezing, coughing and a tight chest that come with cold air or a cold and get worse at night or early in the morning may be asthma. The UK National Health Service (NHS) describes asthma as a common condition that affects your breathing: it can’t currently be cured, but if well treated you shouldn’t have problems with symptoms. Because an asthma attack can be life-threatening, the NHS gives exact numbers for how often and how many puffs to take and when to call 999. Here are the symptoms, attack treatment, diagnosis, inhaler types and self-care, set out as written.
1. In an attack, sit up straight; blue reliever: 1 puff every 30 to 60 seconds, up to 10 puffs (AIR or MART: 1 puff every 1 to 3 minutes, up to 6).
2. Worse at any time, no better after the maximum dose, or no inhaler: call 999 — 119 in Korea (our note).
3. Even after recovering, see a GP within 2 days to review treatment.
Symptoms — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Main symptoms | Wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, a tight chest | — |
| Pattern | Mild or severe; usually come and go; may be worse at night and early in the morning | — |
| Attack | Severe symptoms and difficulty breathing — can be life-threatening | — |
| Triggers | Exercise, high air pollution, cold air, allergens such as pollen, dust, mould or animals | Watch cold, high-dust days in Korea (ours) |
| Age | Usually starts in children but can happen at any age | — |
See a GP if — NHS
- you or your child have asthma symptoms
- treatments aren’t helping, you’re needing your inhaler more often, or you need advice on using it
- symptoms aren’t improving, stop usual activities or wake you at night
Treating an asthma attack — NHS
Sit up straight to help your breathing and try to stay calm. Use your reliever inhaler if you have one.
| Inhaler | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Blue reliever | 1 puff every 30 to 60 seconds until better, up to a maximum of 10 puffs; shake between puffs, use a spacer if you have one | — |
| AIR or MART (preventing and treating) | 1 puff every 1 to 3 minutes until better, up to a maximum of 6 puffs | Maximums differ by inhaler |
| Personal asthma action plan | If it gives a different maximum, follow your plan | Know which inhaler you have |
Call 999 — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| During an attack you feel worse at any time | 999 | 119 in Korea |
| No better after the maximum reliever dose | 999 | — |
| You have no inhaler | 999 | — |
| No better after 10 minutes and no ambulance yet | Use the inhaler again, up to the same maximum | — |
| You’ve recovered from an attack | Urgent GP appointment — within 2 days, even if better | Advice to prevent another |
Do not drive yourself to A&E, the NHS says; the 999 call handler will tell you what to do.
Diagnosis — NHS
A GP or nurse asks questions and listens to your chest; you may need a simple breathing test and sometimes a blood test. You may get a handheld peak flow meter to use at home for a few weeks. Diagnosis can take time because symptoms vary and breathing problems have many causes; if asthma is likely you may be offered medicines to see if they help.
Treatment and inhalers — NHS
A care team (a GP or nurse, sometimes a specialist) explains how and when to use medicines, how to monitor asthma, avoiding triggers and what to do if it gets worse, recorded in your asthma action plan. Take it to every appointment, and have check-ups at least once a year to check inhaler technique and keep the plan up to date.
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| AIR inhaler | Anti-inflammatory reliever used only when you get symptoms | You’re offered one of three set-ups |
| MART inhaler | Used every day to prevent symptoms and also when you get them | — |
| 2 inhalers | A daily preventer plus a blue reliever for symptoms | You should not be given a blue reliever on its own |
| Other | A stronger inhaler or tablets such as montelukast; injected biological therapies for severe asthma | — |
| Hospital | For a severe attack: oxygen by mask, a nebuliser for high doses, steroid tablets or injections | — |
Return empty, unwanted or expired inhalers to your local pharmacy: in the bin, gases can leak out and contribute to climate change.
Do and don’t — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Do | Always carry your inhaler; use it as your care team recommends | — |
| Do | Avoid triggers such as air pollution, smoke, pollen or animals | — |
| Do | Exercise regularly — ask about exercising safely if exercise triggers symptoms | — |
| Do | Keep a healthy weight; have vaccinations such as the flu vaccine — viruses like flu worsen asthma | — |
| Don’t | Smoke | — |
| Don’t | Take medicines for other conditions without checking — aspirin, ibuprofen and beta blockers can trigger symptoms in some people | — |
Causes — NHS
Symptoms happen when the airways swell and narrow. The cause isn’t fully understood; you’re more likely to get asthma with allergies such as eczema, hay fever or food allergies, a family history of asthma or allergies, premature birth or low birth weight, childhood exposure to high air pollution or cigarette smoke, childhood breathing illnesses such as bronchiolitis or croup, or being overweight. Some chemicals at work can also cause it. Asthma in young children sometimes goes away by the teenage years or adulthood.
A child’s barking cough is in croup; a baby’s wheeze is in bronchiolitis.
Checklist
- ☐ Know whether yours is a blue reliever, AIR or MART inhaler
- ☐ Attack: sit up; blue reliever 1 puff every 30 to 60 seconds, up to 10
- ☐ Worse, no better at the maximum, or no inhaler: emergency (119 in Korea)
- ☐ See a GP within 2 days even after recovering
- ☐ Yearly check-up; bring your action plan
- ☐ Flu vaccine; check before aspirin or ibuprofen
Questions that remain
Is asthma lifelong?
Often, the NHS says, though asthma in young children sometimes goes away by the teenage years or adulthood. Used correctly, inhalers usually keep its impact on daily life small.
What about pregnancy?
Tell your doctor or midwife; managing asthma in pregnancy keeps you and your baby well. The detail is on a separate page we didn’t reproduce.
Sources
- NHS — Asthma — source (page shows: reviewed 7 April 2025, next review due 7 April 2028; checked 27 October 2026). Symptoms, GP criteria, attack treatment (30 to 60 seconds and 10 puffs; 1 to 3 minutes and 6 puffs), 999 criteria, repeat after 10 minutes, GP within 2 days, diagnosis, action plan, inhaler types, other treatments, hospital treatment, disposal, dos and don’ts, causes.
- Not read. The asthma and pregnancy page, UK charity pages, the video, Korean asthma guidance.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where to check further
- A respiratory or paediatric clinic — diagnosis, inhalers and an action plan.
- A pharmacy — inhaler technique.
Written on 27 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
