Colds and cold air can set off asthma symptoms
Asthma usually starts in children but can happen at any age, and adults with asthma needing a steroid inhaler or tablets can get a free flu vaccine, the NHS says.
Cold air and infections such as colds and flu are among the things that can set off asthma symptoms, according to the NHS and the charity Asthma + Lung UK.
The main symptoms are wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and a tight chest, which usually come and go and may be worse at night and early in the morning, the NHS says.
The charity lists respiratory infections such as colds, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), chest infections and COVID-19 among the main triggers. In a recent survey, eight in 10 people with asthma told the charity that colds and flu triggered their asthma.
The NHS says symptoms can be triggered by different things including exercise, high levels of air pollution, cold air, or contact with something a person is allergic to.
The charity says some triggers affect people more at certain times of the year, such as pollen or colds and flu, and that what sets off one person’s symptoms might not affect someone else.
Viruses and the flu jab
Viruses such as flu can make asthma symptoms worse, the NHS says, and lists vaccinations such as the flu vaccine among the things people with asthma can do to help prevent symptoms.
The NHS flu vaccine page says adults aged 18 to 64 with conditions that affect breathing, such as asthma needing a steroid inhaler or tablets, can get the free NHS vaccine. The last date to get it is 31 March 2027, the page says, but it is best to get vaccinated as soon as possible to be protected during winter.
The charity’s page attributes its figure only to “a recent survey” and does not give the survey’s size or date. It adds that triggers cause flare-ups but are not always the reason someone gets asthma in the first place.
When the NHS says to get help
The NHS says to see a GP if:
- someone has asthma symptoms
- someone with asthma finds that treatments are not helping, that they need to use their inhaler more often, or that they need advice about using it
- someone with asthma has symptoms that are not improving, or that are stopping them doing usual activities or waking them up at night
It says to call 999 if someone is having an asthma attack and:
- starts to feel worse at any time
- does not feel better after taking the maximum dose of an asthma reliever inhaler
- does not have an asthma inhaler
The NHS adds that people should not drive themselves to A&E, and that the person they speak to at 999 will give advice. Anyone who has had an attack and recovered should ask for an urgent GP appointment, the NHS says, and even if they feel better it is important to see a GP within two days to discuss treatment.
