Symptoms of Asthma
Triggers and Symptoms of Asthma
While the symptoms of asthma may vary from one person to another, and vary from one incident to the next, the list below contains only four symptoms. People are affected differently and some may only wheeze or cough while others will experience all four.
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Tight-chestedness
- Shortness of breath
What’s going on?
In an asthma attack, the inflamed airways of the lungs swell and narrow. A tightness in the chest may be felt. Breathing may be difficult as mucus is generated. The coughing reflex may be initiated and wheezing may be audible. Sometimes these symptoms of asthma may be mild and short lived, and respond quickly to timely and correctly-applied medication. Sometimes, the symptoms can be very distressing, very debilitating and, in the extreme, life threatening.
Why?
House dust mites, smoke (tobacco and otherwise), molds, pollens, animals, even cold air are said to be common triggers. Less commonly asthma attacks may be in reaction to some foodstuffs.
Exercise too is a common trigger. Many sportspeople (Mark Spitz, for example), manage their asthma with medication and warm-up routines.
Triggers of Asthma
The website of the Asthma Foundation of New South Wales, Australia offers this list of triggers.
- Air pollution
- Allergens
- Bushfires
- Chemicals
- Colds + Flus
- Dust mites
- Emotions
- Exercise / Sport
- Food
- Heating
- Hormones
- Medications
- Mold
- Occupational Asthma
- Pets
- Pollen
- Sex
- Smoking
- Weather
This Australian site goes on to say that it can be difficult for some people to know what triggers their asthma. Clearly, known triggers can be met with medication if you know what’s coming, or better yet, avoided, if possible. It is in the asthmatic person’s interests to try to determine his or her particular trigger(s), and a good first step would be to monitor his or her asthma and record observations in a diary.
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