Disabling Effects

Mild asthma is an intermittent condition, which causes breathlessness, leading to intermittent lack of exercise and activity tolerance.

Though the person may be very breathless at times, the modern treatment available now would normally control symptoms. The attacks are likely to be short-lived and infrequent.

Mobility

Walking would normally be unlimited, i.e. well over 1 mile, except on the infrequent occasions when an exacerbation occurs, and this would only last for a few hours at the most controlled by inhalers. They may sometimes experience slight breathlessness on exertion, (i.e. when hurrying).

Care

Daily life would normally be unaffected and the person could live independently and normally between attacks. Therefore, a person with mild functional restriction would normally be able to attend to all his/her own daily activities of self-care (bathing, dressing attending to his/her hygiene needs, and preparing a main meal for him/herself). Even when they have an attack they last for a short time, adequately controlled by inhalers.

Disabling Effects

Moderate asthma is an intermittent condition, which causes breathlessness, leading to intermittent lack of exercise and activity tolerance.

For some of the time, most days, people with moderate asthma would be wheezy and breathless, with symptoms being most noticeable at the beginning and end of the day. They would normally be intermittently wheezy at night.

Mobility

A person with moderate functional restriction would normally be able to walk well over half a mile (800 metres) on the flat, though they may become breathless on hills and stairs. However, they should manage this at a slower than usual pace. At this stage, the affected person would normally be likely to take a bronchodilator (such as "ventolin") before expected exercise.

During an attack, walking distance could be severely affected but his would normally be for a minority of the time.

Care

The degree of breathlessness would not be severe enough to affect the ability to bath, dress, and attend to hygiene needs and preparing and cooking a main meal. During exacerbations, this ability will be compromised, but only for a few days at the most. They would normally be well controlled with medication and the person would normally be able to administer their own medication.

Disabling Effects

Severe limitation of exercise, and activity tolerance. Acute exacerbations will occur on top of this. A person with severe asthma will normally be wheezy and breathless all the time.

Mobility

A person with severe functional restriction would not normally be able to walk 50 metres slowly, on the flat, without stopping for breath. They could not normally keep up with another person of the same age and sex, while walking on level ground.

Care

Any task, which requires physical activity, is likely to take longer due to severe breathlessness. Help may therefore, be required with bathing, dressing, getting round the house and going up and down the stairs, etc.

They may not be able to prepare and cook a main meal, due to difficulty lifting a hot pan. They would not normally be able to manage one flight of stairs, without having to stop and have a rest.

The affected person would normally be able to administer his/her own medication during an attack unaided. At night he/she would normally be able to use medication and call for attention if needed.