Asthma Symptoms

Asthma symptoms are the result of a breathing disorder that is caused by the inflammation of the airways and is usually triggered by an external source.

These sources are similar to allergens and are often found in the home environment. Potential triggers include but are not restricted to dust, pet dander, chemicals, smoking and pollen.

There are people who may have the condition but have never experienced a serious asthma attack, and do not know that they have it at all.

General Symptoms Of Asthma

· Wheezing: A wheezing sound is heard both when breathing in and also when breathing out.

· Tight feeling in the chest: This symptom will increase and decrease from time to time. It is also known as a precursor to an actual attack and will vary from an uncomfortable tightness across the chest, to feeling pressure as if someone or something was pressing down, to actual chest pain, where it hurts to draw a breath. This symptom is often mistaken by many patients as a symptom of a heart attack, but without the accompanying tingling in the extremities.

· Frequent coughing: These are coughing spells that will last for long periods of time, especially at night. It is usually difficult to catch your breath during one of these spells.

· Shortness of breath: Patients often find themselves short of breath or losing their breath throughout their day. This will happen frequently after exercising, but most often will occur after light exercise, like walking.

· Feeling tired and weak all the time: This will happen generally after mild exercising but may occur upon waking as well.

· Unexplained changes in mood: While this may also be a symptom, it may also have been brought on by lack of sleep due to breathing problems.

· Signs of a cold or allergy: Asthma shares the same triggers of the more common allergy conditions, so it makes sense that it may also share some of the other symptoms of an allergy attack, especially congestion, sore throat, headache and runny noses.

· Trouble sleeping: Because symptoms occur in most patients primarily at night, the constant coughing or chest tightness will prevent a restful sleep. To alleviate this, try sleeping with the head and chest slightly elevated to see if it alleviates any symptoms.

Signs of A Severe Asthma Attack

· Tightening of the chest and neck muscles: Known as retractions, this symptom often occurs as the airways begin to close.

· Difficulty talking: Lack of air passing through the airways will also cause the throat to contract.

· Pale face, feelings of anxiety: Usually thought to be an unconscious reaction to being unable to breathe normally.

· Excessive Sweating: The laborious breathing and lack of oxygen can lead to excessive sweating.

· Bluing of lips and fingernails: The bluish color is caused by a severe lack of oxygen, immediate treatment required.

Unusual Asthma Symptoms

Recently, research has allowed for some other unusual symptoms that may not be recognizable as asthma, unless the patient’s history is known by others.

· Rapid breathing
· Uncontrollable sighing
· Fatigue
· Anxiety
· Difficulty concentrating
· Chronic coughing without wheezing

There are times when a bacterial infection will also trigger an attack. The bacterial infection will cover the more common symptoms because of its close resemblance to a bronchial infection, like those listed above.

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