Respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma affect around one in five people.
If you haven’t been diagnosed with a respiratory problem but have started feeling short of breath, it’s probably nothing to worry about. However, sometimes it can be more serious. There is more advice on the NHS website.
On these pages, find advice on how to look after your lungs, manage respiratory conditions, and get support if you need it.
Diagnosing lung conditions
If you are experiencing breathing problems like a shortness of breath, you might need to make an appointment with your GP practice. Check the NHS website to see whether you should arrange this based on your symptoms.
Common causes for breathing problems include asthma, chest infections, smoking and being overweight. Symptoms can sometimes be relieved through lifestyle changes – find out more about lung health.
Sometimes breathing problems can be a sign of something more serious like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure or lung cancer.
To investigate the cause of breathing problems, a healthcare professional might refer you on to have some tests. Asthma+Lung UK has information about breathing and lung function tests.
Managing lung conditions
If you have been diagnosed with a respiratory condition, good self-management is important. If you have been diagnosed with a long-term respiratory condition, your GP practice should invite you for an annual review. This is an opportunity for you to discuss your condition, including steps you might be able to take to manage it better and extra support that might be available if you need it.
If you have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you should complete an asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan. The plans are designed to help you understand and manage your condition with support from health professionals. Find out more about asthma action plans and COPD self-management plans.
Treatments to help you manage symptoms of a long-term respiratory condition can include:
Making lifestyle changes can often help reduce the severity of symptoms, such as by stopping smoking, exercising well and keeping a healthy weight.
There are many things you can do help manage breathlessness including working on your breathing habits and techniques. Find useful advice on the Asthma + Lung UK website, where you can also find advice on managing a cough.