Asthma & Severe Asthma

Asthma is a lung condition in which sensitive airways react to triggers, causing a ‘flare-up’. In a flare-up, the muscles around the airway squeeze tight, the airways swell and become narrow and mucus is produced. These factors combined make it much harder to breathe.

Our doctors can make an updated assessment of your asthma, establish a diagnosis of asthma or otherwise where there is uncertainty, or for ongoing asthma management. This will include consideration of the severity, trigger factors and all aspects of treatment.

Lung Function Tests

We can also undertake spirometry (lung function tests, breathing tests). These tests are an accurate measure of your lung capacity and allow us to diagnose and follow asthma and other lung diseases, and measure its severity accurately.

Severe asthma

While most people with asthma can be well controlled with inhaled treatments and attention to trigger factors, some people with asthma -about 1:20 - can have severe disease which is not well controlled despite good use of their medications. For people suffering from severe asthma, new medications (biologicals) are now available only by specialist prescription and can make an enormous difference to quality of life. Specialists at Melbourne Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Consultants have extensive experience in assessing severe asthma and the prescription and use of the new therapies for severe asthma .

Asthma Research

Clinicians at Melbourne Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Consultants are actively involved in research studies assessing and treating severe asthma, including trials of new therapies. As a patient, participation in clinical research studies can provide opportunities for precise assessment of lung inflammation and to be one of the first to try new treatments as they become available. If you are interested in helping through participation in research studies, tell your doctor. Your doctor will also approach you if you appear to be possibly suitable for trials of new asthma treatment. As with any research study, participation is absolutely voluntary and decisions to be involved in research, or not, will not affect your future treatment. All research studies have been discussed and approved by an Ethics Committee.

Further Information

The National Asthma Council is a good source for information sheets on asthma and allergies. The following topics link to information at the National Asthma Council website.

What is Asthma?
Diagnosing Asthma
What are Asthma Triggers?
How is Asthma Treated?
Using Your Medications Correctly
Asthma FAQs

National Asthma Council - Asthma and Lung Function Tests Brochure [PDF]

  Make an appointment with Melbourne Allergy Asthma & Immunology Consultants for accurate diagnosis and creation of an asthma management plan.