Symptoms of Asthma

Asthma is an incurable condition of the lungs that normally emerges during childhood.  There are currently over 20 million people in the United States alone who have asthma, and doctors currently do not know what exactly causes this condition.  Genetics, a combination of certain allergies, and a variety of environmental factors have been named as potential causes.  Asthma is a condition that causes the airways to close, which creates difficulty breathing.  They close when the various pathways and capillaries in the lungs become inflamed, tighten, and/or fill with mucus, restricting the flow of air through the respiratory system. 

Each case of asthma is slightly unique, but the disease is commonly exhibited though asthma attacks, or period of time where the disease flares up, causing severe breathing difficulty.  There are three basic classifications of asthma attacks; early, mild, and severe.  Most attacks start out in the early stages, then advance into the mild and severe category if appropriate medical treatment is not taken.

Symptoms of an Early Asthma Attack

The early signs of an asthma attack are a warning that the condition is going to be getting worse over the next few minutes or hours.  Medical treatment can normally be administered at this point through the use of a medical inhaler.  These symptoms may come and go, and may be more common in some cases.  Those who have asthma may feel these symptoms at an almost constant rate, but a sudden onset of these symptoms can be considered a sign of an on-coming asthma attack.  They include;

• Coughing (very common during the nighttime or while asleep)-  this is common during these periods of time due to the nature of the body's position and the change in the environmental factors, including the decrease in temperature during the nighttime hours.
• Wheezing- developing a wheeze while breathing is a sign that the airways are starting to become inflamed or blocked.
• Shortness of breath- shallow breaths at a faster pace are a sign that the body is trying to increase the amount of oxygen in the body, possibly since the body is not getting enough oxygen from normal breathing patterns.
• Tightness, pain, or pressure in the chest, mainly in the area of the lungs.
• Insomnia
• Symptoms similar to a common cold; runny nose, sneezing, congestion, headache, and sore throat.
• Loss of breath.

These are the common signs of an asthma attack.  Once these symptoms develop, you should take your medication to help relieve them and prevent the attack from worsening.  These conditions normally develop at night, after periods of heavy activity, when the temperature changes, or while performing normal daily activities.

Symptoms of a Mild Asthma Attack

When the asthma attack moves into the mild stage, bronchospasm begins.  This is where the muscles around the airways and passages begin to tighten, restricting the flow of air.  The airways will become more blocked by inflammation and mucus, making breathing even more difficult.  The mucus is normally produced by the cells in the lungs, and while they may be producing more, this mucus tends to be thicker, which obstructs air flow.  In addition to the difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing will become worse, along with the pressure or pain in the chest.  In addition to these symptoms becoming more severe, the patient may also develop;

• Blue lips, fingers, or toes.
• Loss of color in the face and chest.
• Sweats
• Difficulty talking

If the sufferer has yet to take medication for the attack, they need to at this point in time.  The symptoms should be treated immediately since they can deteriorate rapidly into a severe attack.

Symptoms of a Severe Asthma Attack

Once you advance to this stage, you should consider seeking emergency medical services.  The person having the asthma attack will lose the ability to talk, and eventually the ability to breath.  Asthma attacks can be life threatening if they are allowed to advance to this stage.

Symptoms of Asthma in Children

Asthma normally develops during childhood, and the child may not understand what's going on when they start to emerge.  This can also be a very frightening period of time for parents, since they may not understand what is happening to their child.  The symptoms are similar to those in adults, and normally begin to emerge after periods of play or activity.  Children will also display a chronic cough, which is occasionally attributed to other medical conditions. 

If you think you child has asthma, you should have him examined by a doctor.  There are tests that can be performed to test the strength of their lungs, and whether or not they may have the condition.  This is key, since the doctor will then provide you with inhaler medication that is needed should an attack occur.