Asthma Symptoms

Asthma is a chronic disease that involves the airways in the lungs. These airways are also known as bronchial tubes, and they allow air to flow in and out of the lungs. If a person has asthma, his or her airways are always inflamed. This condition worsens when an asthmatic comes in contact with triggers.

Asthmatics face difficulty in breathing, which is caused due to the contraction in the airways. Mucus fills the airways and reduces the amount of air passing through it. Due to these conditions an asthmatic experiences episodes of flare-ups or asthma attacks. Though asthma has no cure, the symptoms can be controlled.

Asthma Signs and Symptoms include

• Breathlessness (rapid breathing) – The medical term for shortness of breath is Dyspnea. An asthmatic will not be able to get enough air in and out of his/her lungs and will find it difficult to breathe. This is caused due to the inflammation of the airway lining. It can be experienced even after a light or moderate physical activity.
• Severe Wheezing – This high pitched noise can be experienced while breathing in and out. A whistling or squealing sound is heard when breathing. In asthma, wheezing is caused due to narrowing of lower airways.
• Continuous Coughing – Coughing occurs due to the bronchial secretions of mucus and it is related to airway inflammation and direct sensitivity to trigger. Asthmatics experience continuous severe coughing that stays for a longer period. This symptom can also occur at night or even after exercising. At times cough can be accompanied by the wheezing sound.
• Tightness in the Chest – Chest tightening is many a times described as a heavy feeling of weight on the chest. The tight feeling in the chest is due to the contraction of airway muscles. It can feel like a dull ache or a sharp stabbing in the chest. This makes it difficult for a person to take deep breaths.

The Pattern of Asthma Symptoms

Usually, asthma signs and symptoms have a pattern. So, an asthmatic may experience symptoms during a particular time, physical activity or exposure to certain triggers.

• Symptoms can come and go over time, or within the same day.
• They get worse with viral infections, such as a cold.
• They get worse particularly at night or morning
• The symptoms are triggered by exercise, allergies, cold air, or strong emotions

Not every person with asthma shows all of these signs and symptoms. It is important to monitor these symptoms so that the doctor can diagnose the condition accurately. Studying the symptoms helps to detect the severity of the condition. The criteria to recognize the severity of asthma can be physical and symptoms’ examination.

• Mild Asthma Symptoms – An individual may experience common asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, and chest tightening, but visiting the hospital would not be required. In mild asthma, these symptoms may also be experienced at night.
• Moderate Asthma Symptoms – A person might be experiencing asthma symptoms frequently or on most days but it would not be a life-threatening situation.
• Severe Asthma Symptoms – Severe asthma can indicate frequent asthma attacks and immediate medical attention is needed. In this type of asthma, a person may experience the symptoms almost every day.

Asthma symptoms are caused due the various triggers such as respiratory infections, allergens, chemicals, odors, physical activity, etc. So to avoid these causes of asthma and worsening of asthma symptoms, asthmatics must make sure to avoid the triggers. The daily controller medications prescribed by the doctor will help to prevent an asthmatic from frequently experiencing the symptoms. Along with this, exercising can also help to prevent the asthma symptoms,

To know more read about the best exercises for asthmatics to follow with their daily routine.