Symptoms of Asthma
One of the most common diseases in US, asthma affects over 17 million Americans, and one third of cases are diagnosed in children.
Knowing the symptoms of asthma is important for several reasons. It makes you aware of those serious signs and symptoms that require urgent treatment in the hospital, and you will be able help your doctor better understand your condition and adjust medication accordingly.
Symptoms vary from individual to individuals, and can range from mild to severe. Some will have only occasional, mild symptoms, while others will have almost constant symptoms with severe, sometimes life-threatening flare-ups.
The following are six of the common symptoms of asthma. These occur because the airways became inflamed and narrowed, blocking the normal flow of air.
1. Wheezing
Wheezing, when breathing make a whistling or hissing noise, is the most common symptom of an asthma attack. This sound is commonly heard when you breathe out, but sometimes (in more severe cases) it may be experienced during inhalation as well.
The diagnosis of asthma cannot be made based on wheezing alone, and some asthmatics will not experience wheezing at all. In some cases, wheezing will be absent because of severe limitation of the airflow during a flare up and because the respiratory muscles are fatigued. In addition, wheezing can occur in other conditions as well, like hayfever or COPD.
Wheezing indicates obstruction in the small airways of the respiratory tract. An episode of wheezing can happen anytime, but is more likely in the morning when the protective effects of anti-asthma drugs wear off. It can start suddenly, along with cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath during a flare-up, or can come on gradually over days or hours.
In exercise induced asthma, wheezing will typically start during or after exercise, and in nocturnal asthma it will be experienced during night.
Resources
Merck Manuals (Asthma)WebMD (What Is Cough-Variant Asthma?)Merck Manuals (Asthma in Children)Sleep Foundation (Asthma and Sleep)
From allergies to environmental irritants, there are many causes behind asthma. But is asthma hereditary and can it be passed down? Find out here.
