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Asthma is a long-term condition that affects the bronchial airways (that is, the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs). The airways narrow intermittently causing symptoms of breathlessness, wheezing or coughing.
We have listed some of the most useful Asthma UK videos from the playlist above:
What does your phlegm mean? (2 minute video)
Find out more about what your phlegm means (opens in a new window) >
Can antibiotics help with asthma? (1 minute video)
Find out if antibiotics can help with asthma (opens in a new window) >
Looking after your spacer (3 minute video)
Find out more about looking after your spacer (opens in a new window) >
How do chest infections make asthma symptoms worse? (2 minute video)
Find out how chest infections make asthma symptoms worse (opens in a new window) >
What to do during an asthma attack (1 minute video)
Find out what to do during an asthma attack (opens in a new window) >
How to use a nasal spray for hayfever and allergies (2 minute video)
Find out how to use a nasal spray for hayfever and allergies (opens in a new window) >
How to take your peak flow reading | Asthma UK (1 minute video)
Find out how to take your peak flow reading | Asthma UK (opens in a new window) >
What is Asthma? - from HealthSketch UK (4 minute summary video)
Find out more about Asthma (opens in a new window) >
How does Asthma work? (5 minute summary video)
Find out how asthma works (5 minute summary video) (opens in a new window) >
What happens during an asthma attack? (4 minute video) – some scenes may be disturbing to some viewers
Find out what happens during an asthma attack (opens in a new window) >
Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection.
People with bronchiectasis often cough up lots of sputum, they also have a tendency to have repeated chest infections.
The above video contains detailed information and advice for people with bronchiectasis. This video can be viewed in full-screen by viewing via the YouTube website (opens in new window) > and pressing 'f' on your keyboard.
People with bronchiectasis usually need to clear their sputum (mucus) every day to minimise the risk of chest infections. You can find guidance on this below.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is a long-term condition where the bronchial airways (the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs) have become narrowed. This means it is more difficult to get air in and out of the lungs.
Symptoms include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and recurrent chest infections.
Interstitial lung disease is a general term meaning that there is swelling (inflammation) or scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue surrounding and supporting the alveoli air sacs and the bronchial airways.
The term "pulmonary" or "lung fibrosis" is used when there is scarring and not just swelling.
This 30 minute video gives general advice for people with a recent diagnosis of lung fibrosis, made by the ImpACT+ team. This video can be viewed in full-screen by viewing via the YouTube website (opens in new window) > and pressing 'f' on your keyboard.
Pulmonary hypertension is condition where there is high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs. The blood vessels are called the pulmonary arteries. The word ‘pulmonary’ means to do with the lungs. The word ‘hypertension’ means high blood pressure. Common symptoms include breathlessness and fatigue.
Sarcoidosis is a condition where parts of the body become inflamed and swollen (due to granulation tissue). Sometimes the inflammation resolves but at other times it can lead to fibrosis and scarring.
The inflammation or fibrosis can damage the function of various body organs. It most commonly affects the lungs. The symptoms are very variable depending on which body organs are affected.
The information on this page relates only to the most common respiratory conditions. However, there is information about more respiratory diseases on the British Lung Foundation website link below (look at the lung conditions panel, make sure you click "show all" to view all diseases).
Get more information about lung conditions (opens in new window) >