Types of Asthma Symptoms

A combination of genetic and environmental variables is believed to determine why some people develop asthma while others never do. What is clear is that certain triggers can precipitate an asthma attack, and that these triggers differ from person to person. When people with asthma are exposed to such elements as pollen, animal dander, cold air, tobacco smoke and certain drugs, they can have an asthma attack, making it hard to breathe. Other factors that have caused asthma symptoms to occur include exercise, stress, food preservatives, allergies to substances such as peanuts, and even heartburn.

There are some warning signs that indicate that a person may be about to experience an asthma episode. These symptoms include frequent coughing (mostly in the evening hours) and being short of breath without any strenuous physical exertion. Fatigue is another indicator that an asthma attack may be imminent. Also, when someone who already has a history of asthma coughs and wheezes after exercise, he needs to be alert to the possibility that he could be in for an attack. Mood swings and the feeling that a a cold is coming on are other symptoms that asthma may be at work.

When an asthma attack does occur, the classic symptoms include the person wheezing as she struggles to get enough air into her lungs, along with a constant coughing. Other asthma symptoms at this time are rapid breathing and pain in the chest region, or a feeling of pressure that won't go away. It can be hard to even talk, and there can be a feeling of anxiousness, as the person may even panic during such an attack.

Some people are prone to severe asthma attacks, and if they do not act immediately, they can quickly find themselves in serious medical trouble. If they are not able to treat themselves with medications from an asthma inhaler or bronchodilator--which can relax the muscles in the airways and allow them to breathe much easier--they can soon find themselves in dire straits. Symptoms at this time will entail labored breathing that will eventually become so slow that the wheezing sound will disappear altogether. This "Silent Chest" symptom fools some people into thinking the attack is over, but they will then be getting nearly no oxygen into their lungs. Their lips will turn blue as the oxygen level in the blood dwindles, and they will slip into an unconscious state and die without emergency help.

Some people will not experience the typical symptoms of asthma, and will instead be subject to some unusual ones. They may simply breathe at an elevated rate or be tired all the time. Some other unusual asthma symptoms include constant sighing and the inability to sleep at night. These individuals may find they cannot concentrate and are always anxious without knowing why. Such cases are at times difficult to link to asthma, and asthma symptoms sometimes resemble those of such conditions as heart failure and bronchitis. Children with asthma may not exhibit classic signs, either. They may simply cough more than normal, which can be mistaken for a cold or another respiratory ailment.