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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Asthma symptoms range from minor to severe and vary from person to person. You may have mild symptoms and asthma attacks may be infrequent. Between asthma flare-ups you may feel normal and have no trouble breathing. You may have symptoms primarily at night, during exercise or when you're exposed to specific triggers. Or you may have asthma symptoms all the time. Asthma signs and symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness or pain
- Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
- An audible whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling (wheezing is a common sign of asthma in children)
- Bouts of coughing or wheezing that are worsened by a respiratory virus such as a cold or the flu
Signs that your asthma is probably getting worse include:
- More frequent and bothersome asthma signs and symptoms
- Increasing difficulty breathing (this can be measured by a peak flow meter, a simple device used to check how well your lungs are working)
- An increasingly frequent need to use a quick-relief inhaler
For some people, asthma symptoms flare up in certain situations:
- Exercise-induced asthma occurs during exercise. For many people, exercise-induced asthma is worse when the air is cold and dry.
- Occupational asthma is asthma that's caused or worsened by breathing in a workplace irritant such as chemical fumes, gases or dust.
- Allergy-induced asthma. Some people have asthma symptoms that are triggered by particular allergens, such as pet dander, cockroaches or pollen.
When to see a doctor
These key circumstances may lead you to talk to your doctor about asthma:
- If you think you have asthma. If you have frequent coughing that lasts more than a few days or any other signs or symptoms of asthma, see your doctor. Treating asthma early, especially in children, may prevent long-term lung damage and help keep the condition from worsening over time.
- To monitor your asthma after diagnosis. If you know you have asthma, work with your doctor to keep it under control. Good long-term asthma control not only helps you feel better on a daily basis, but also can prevent a life-threatening asthma attack.
- If your asthma symptoms get worse. Contact your doctor right away if your medication doesn't seem to ease your symptoms or you need to use your quick-relief inhaler more and more often. Don't try to solve the problem by taking more medication without consulting your doctor. Overusing asthma medication can cause side effects and may even make your asthma worse.
- To review your treatment. Asthma changes over time. Meet with your doctor on a regular basis to discuss your symptoms and make any needed adjustments to your treatment.
When to seek emergency treatment
Severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening. Work with your doctor ahead of time to determine what to do when your signs and symptoms worsen — and when you need emergency treatment. If your quick-relief medications don't relieve symptoms of a severe asthma attack, seek emergency help right away. Signs of an asthma emergency include:
- Rapid worsening of shortness of breath or wheezing
- No improvement even after using a quick-relief inhaler such as albuterol
- Shortness of breath when you are doing minimal physical activity
References
- Balkissoon R. Asthma overview. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2008;35:41.
- Famta CH, et al. Diagnosis of asthma in adolescents and adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- 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/pdf. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Liu AH, et al. Childhood asthma. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/198605211-3/0/1608/440.html?tocnode=54478148&fromURL=440.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50145-6_3411. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Litonjua AA, et al. Risk factors for asthma. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Tang EA, et al. Risk factors for asthma. In: Adkinson N, et al. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05659-5..00042-5--cesec18&uniq=196323107&isbn=978-0-323-05659-5&sid=986291445#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05659-5..00042-5--cesec18%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05659-5. Accessed April 20, 2010.
- Famta CH, et al. An overview of asthma management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Bailey W. Patient information: Trigger avoidance in asthma. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Updated information on leukotriene inhibitors: Montelukast (marketed as Singulair), zafirlukast (marketed as Accolate), and zileuton (marketed as Zyflo and Zyflo CR). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm165489.htm. Accessed March 8, 2010.
- FDA drug safety communication: New safety requirements for long-acting inhaled asthma medications called long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm200776.htm. Accessed March 8, 2010.
- FDA approves new device for adults with severe and persistent asthma. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm209909.htm. Accessed April 28, 1010.
- Bronchial thermoplasty. Asthmatx. http://www.btforasthma.com/bronchial-thermoplasty/. Accessed April 28, 2010.
- Mark JD. Integrative medicine and asthma. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2007;54:1007.
- Garrod R, et al. Role of physiotherapy in the management of chronic lung diseases: An overview of systematic reviews. Respiratory Medicine. 2007;101:2429.
- Bukutu C, et al. Asthma: A review of complementary and alternative therapies. Pediatrics in Review. 2008;29:e44.
- Singh BB, et al. Herbal treatments of asthma: A systematic review. Journal of Asthma. 2007;44:685.
- Romieu I, et al. Diet and obstructive lung diseases. Epidemiologic Reviews. 2001;23:268.
- Mark JD. Asthma. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/157208746-8/0/1494/79.html?tocnode=54112987&fromURL=79.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..X5001-7--section5_1500. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Mainardi T, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine: Herbs, phytochemicals and vitamins and their immunologic effects. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2009;123:28.
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