It's difficult to say for sure why someone gets asthma, but we do know you’re more likely to develop asthma if there’s a history of asthma, eczema or allergies in your family. Or if you already have eczema or allergies (for example hay fever) yourself.
There are other reasons why you might be more at risk of getting asthma too, such as being born prematurely, or if your mother smoked while she was pregnant.
You can read more about the causes here.
Does asthma go away?
Some children do ‘grow out of’ their asthma symptoms. But they might come back later in life. They might be set off by something at work, or by pollution. Women sometimes develop asthma during the menopause.
There’s no cure for asthma, so it doesn’t go away completely. But there are tried and tested asthma medicines to prevent symptoms.
This means that most people with asthma, if they’re sticking to their prescribed medicines, can get on with their lives without asthma symptoms getting in the way.
Find out more about keeping asthma symptoms under control here.
Will my child get asthma because I’ve got it?
If you’ve got asthma yourself, or your partner has, it could mean your child is more likely to get it too.
If only one parent has asthma, there's more chance of it being passed on if it's the mother.
There’s not much you can do about this; it’s not your fault. It’s just because asthma tends to run in families.
One thing you can do something about, if you’re pregnant, is not smoke. And once the baby is born, make sure no one smokes around them. Smoking puts your baby at much higher risk of developing asthma, or other problems with their breathing.
Find out more about what causes asthma here.
What makes asthma worse?
There are lots of things that can make asthma worse, but not everyone will be affected by the same things.
Finding out what sets off your symptoms (your triggers) - whether it's colds and viruses, pets, pollen, house dust mites or mould - means you can work out ways to avoid them if possible.
But the best way to cope with your asthma triggers is to always take your preventer medicine as prescribed, even when you feel well.
Your preventer medicine, taken in the right way, protects your airways so they’re less inflamed. It stops you reacting as much to your usual triggers even if you do come across them.
Find out more about coping with your asthma triggers here.
Asthma attacks
Can you die from an asthma attack?
Although most people who have an asthma attack get help and get well, people can and do die from asthma attacks. The shocking fact is that asthma attacks kill three people every day.
But studies show that two out of three asthma deaths could be prevented with better routine care.
You can cut your risk by taking your asthma medicines as prescribed, even if you feel well.
Also, if you use a written action asthma plan you're four times less likely to end up in hospital due to your asthma.
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