Clinical tips for managing the winter wheeze

As the weather begins to get colder during the winter months, many asthma sufferers can find that this can trigger asthma flare-ups. This can make it a particularly difficult time for people with asthma. In this article, we will look at why cold weather is a trigger and how you can help support your patients during the season.

Cold weather is a common trigger of asthma flare-ups.^1,2 Cold air is dry and when breathed in, the moisture evaporates faster than it can be replaced, causing irritated airways.² This can also cause airways to produce histamine, or increase mucus production, both of which can contribute to worsening asthma symptoms – which include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.^1-3

There are several other reasons beside cold weather why asthma can be triggered in the winter. Rainy and windy weather can trigger a release of mold spores; colds, flus and other viruses causing airway inflammation; and staying indoors – which can increase exposure to indoor allergens – including damp and mold.¹

These triggers all together can make winter a particularly difficult time for asthma sufferers, therefore, it is important that they are supported with their asthma control to manage their condition.^1,2

Latest webinar:

Discover our latest FeNO webinar today.

Clinical tips for managing the winter wheeze

To support your patients through winter with their asthma, there are several steps you can take to ensure their asthma is controlled to potentially limit against these triggers.

1. Review and adjust asthma action plans

Encourage patients to look over their asthma action plan.² It may be necessary to adjust treatments especially if they are at risk from exposure to winter asthma triggers.² This could include reviewing their inhaler technique, amending the dosage of their inhaler, or changing their medication.³

At your patient’s asthma reviews or any asthma related check-ups, you may find it beneficial to have them do a FeNO test. This can show you the levels of inflammation in the lungs, therefore allowing you to adjust medications accordingly, right at the point-of-care.^4-6

2. Emphasise the importance of medication adherence

Adherence to asthma medication is crucial.⁷ It is important to educate your patients on the importance of taking their preventer medication as directed, even if their symptoms aren’t severe.^8,9 Discuss proper inhaler technique to ensure the effective delivery of medication.³

A FeNO test can help you to determine medication adherence.⁶ For example, if a patient is on high dose steroids but still has a high FeNO, this could indicate that they could be non-adherent to their medication or not practicing correct inhaler technique.¹⁰

3. Advise on managing cold-weather triggers

Educate patients on practical ways to reduce cold-air exposure and manage other common winter triggers:

^·Cover the nose and mouth outdoors with a scarf or mask – this can humidify and warm the air before it reaches the airways ^1,2

· Drink more fluids – this can help keep mucus in the airways thinner and easier for the body to remove ^1,2

· Vacuum and dust your home to remove indoor allergens²

· Limit outdoor physical activity on particularly cold or windy days ^1,2

· Avoid wood-burning fireplaces – smoke particles can worsen asthma symptoms ^1,2

· Encourage annual flu vaccination to those of applicable ages ^1,2

Recommended for you

Learn more about FeNO testing with these recomendations:

Pollution and Asthma: Helping your patients understand and manage the associated risks

How certain foods affect FeNO testing results

World Asthma Day 2025

Adding FeNO testing into your asthma care routine can help to enhance your asthma care by providing a more complete diagnostic picture, which could be particularly beneficial with the triggers associated with winter months.^5,6 FeNO shows the underlying inflammation in their airways, which is a key characteristic of asthma.¹¹ It takes around 10 seconds to do, with results in just over a minute, giving you an objective result and reliable information about your patients airways.⁶This can help you to uncover non-adherence, guide adjustments in medication, and track patients progress over time, helping you to manage your patient’s asthma better.^4,6

If you would like to know more about FeNO testing, check out our FeNO testing page. You can also access out exclusive FeNO course on our FeNO Learn app, which takes you through the basics of FeNO to find out how it could benefit your asthma care.