- With Mayo Clinic asthma and allergy specialist
James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D.
James Li, M.D.
"People with allergy or asthma can lead full and healthy lives." — Dr. James Li
Dr. James Li is chair of the Division of Allergic Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine and a board-certified asthma and allergy specialist. He hopes his expertise and the information on the site educates health care consumers in an area of rapid change both in medications and diagnoses.
"There are a lot of misperceptions about allergy and asthma," says Dr. Li, a New York City native who has been with Mayo since 1985 and works with a group of subspecialists in allergy, asthma and immunology. "I believe it's important to provide truthful, accurate information about allergy and asthma to the public. The more people know, the better they can take care of these conditions."
Dr. Li is a professor of medicine at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. He's a past director of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, and the American Board of Internal Medicine. He's a fellow in the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology honored him with the Distinguished Service Award, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology with its Special Recognition Award.
Symptoms (3)
- Vocal cord dysfunction: Is it a type of asthma?
- Trouble breathing: Could it be asthma?
- Asthma without wheezing: Is this possible?
Tests and diagnosis (1)
- Reactive airway disease: Is it asthma?
Causes (1)
- Asthma and acid reflux: Are they linked?
Treatments and drugs (2)
- LABAs for asthma — Should I stop taking them?
- Albuterol side effects: What's normal?
Lifestyle and home remedies (3)
- Asthma: Why are symptoms worse during my period?
- Asthma diet: Does what you eat make a difference?
- Ozone air purifiers: Can they improve asthma symptoms?
Prevention (1)
- Hygiene hypothesis: Early germ exposure prevents asthma?
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Asthma without wheezing: Is this possible?
Is it possible to have asthma without wheezing?
Answer
from James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Yes, it's possible to have asthma without wheezing.
A wheeze is a whistling sound produced by air flowing through a narrowed airway. Although a wheeze occurs primarily on exhaling, it can be heard on inhaling as well. Wheezing is a common sign of asthma, particularly in children. However, asthma doesn't always produce a wheeze you can hear. Instead, other signs and symptoms of asthma may be more prominent. These can include:
- Chest tightness
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble breathing
These signs and symptoms of asthma may get worse during play or exercise. A cold or other respiratory infection also can make asthma symptoms more noticeable.
If you suspect you or your child may have asthma, see a doctor to have it checked out. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent asthma from getting worse, and can help you or your child avoid a bad asthma attack.
When you see the doctor, be prepared to answer very specific questions. When considering a diagnosis, the doctor will want to know as much as possible about any unusual breathing sounds or other possible signs of asthma.
In older children and adults, lung function tests can be used to make an asthma diagnosis. Children usually don't develop the skills to take these tests until they're about 4 years old, so asthma diagnosis in younger children is generally based on what a parent notices and tells the doctor.
While not all unusual breathing sounds are a sign of asthma or another underlying health condition that needs treatment, see the doctor to make sure.
Next questionReactive airway disease: Is it asthma?
- Expert panel report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda, Md.: National Institutes of Health. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/06_sec3_comp3.pdf. Accessed Jan. 20, 2010.
- Tips to remember: Childhood asthma. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/childhoodasthma.stm. Accessed Jan. 20, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on