Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent SymptomsRare SymptomsComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderNext in Asthma GuideHow Asthma Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Frequent Symptoms
Rare Symptoms
Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Next in Asthma Guide
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Learning to read the signs, therefore, is the first step to avoiding the complications ofasthmaand maintaining your respiratory health. This article will explain what symptoms to look for and when to see a healthcare provider.
Ask an Expert: Should I Get Checked for Asthma?
The four classic signs of asthma are:
Wheezing
Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound produced when you breathe. It is the sign most associated with asthma and the primary reason people and parents seek care when concerned about asthma.
Wheezing is usually heard when you breathe out, but can also be heard when you breathe in, which often is an indication of poor asthma control. It occurs when inflammation causesbronchoconstriction(narrowing of the airways) that interferes with the flow of air.
Coughing
Coughing is one of the classic signs of asthma, especially if it is worse at night or interferes with sleep.Achronic coughcan also be a sign of poor asthma control.
If your healthcare provider suspects asthma, you may be asked if you cough at night or when you exercise. In those with asthma, a nighttime cough two or more times per month may mean you need to step up yourasthma medications.
Chest Tightness
Chest tightness may occur along with the other classic asthma symptoms or all alone.People generally describe it as the very uncomfortable feeling of air not moving in their lungs. Many commonly say, “I just feel tight.” This can cause a significant amount of anxiety.
When to Call 911If it feels like something is sitting on or squeezing your chest, you should talk to your healthcare provider. If the tightness is severe, seek immediate medical care. In addition to being a sign of a possible asthma attack, chest symptoms can be a sign of aheart attack. Both are potentially life-threatening emergencies.
When to Call 911
If it feels like something is sitting on or squeezing your chest, you should talk to your healthcare provider. If the tightness is severe, seek immediate medical care. In addition to being a sign of a possible asthma attack, chest symptoms can be a sign of aheart attack. Both are potentially life-threatening emergencies.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath is the feeling of breathlessness and inability to catch your breath. Your healthcare provider may refer to it asdyspnea, while others may call it “air hunger” or the sensation of not being able to catch your breath. The symptom may come on suddenly for some with asthma and more gradually for others.
This classic asthma symptom can be experienced before diagnosis or be a sign of poorasthma control.
People experience shortness of breath differently. Some patients are not able to do as much activity as they were in the past, finding themselves out of breath much sooner than usual with exertion. Others may notice chronic tightness in the chest, while still others may feel like they need to breathe in again before they’re done exhaling.
Shortness of breath is never normal, but it is also not unexpected with very strenuous exercise or travel to high altitudes.
Symptom Pattern
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A type of asthma calledcough-variant asthmacan cause a chronic dry, hacking cough without wheezing. Frequent yawning or sighing is another symptom that your body isn’t able to breathe normally. Fast breathing (every two seconds or less in adults) is another sign that you aren’t getting enough air in or out.
The impairment in your breathing can lead to difficulty in sleeping and concentrating. You might also have anxiety and increased fatigue.
What Is Silent Asthma?
Complications of Asthma
Some groups are at risk of particular asthma complications.
Infants and Children
Childhood and infant asthma are common. In addition to potentially having the same symptoms seen in adults, infants may have difficulty feeding and may grunt during feeding.
However, asthma cannot be definitively diagnosed in infants, because there is no test available to do so. While wheezing is common—affecting 40% to 50% of babies, especially when they have a respiratory infection—it could disappear as your child ages.
Infants are evaluated forasthma risk factorsaccording to the asthma predictive index, which includes:
Children may stop enjoying playing, sports, or social activities because they tire easily. A child might complain that their chest hurts. Childhood asthma can lead to delayed growth, and it places the child at higher risk for learning disabilities and unhealthy weight.
Pregnant People
Poorly controlled asthma during pregnancy decreases oxygen levels for both the mother and the fetus. This can lead to any of the following complications:
Some asthma medications may be linked to pregnancy complications, but maintaining good asthma control generally outweighs the risks.
If you haven’t yet been diagnosed with asthma, see your healthcare provider if you have frequent wheezing or coughing that lasts for more than a few days.
If you are diagnosed with asthma, you will then work on keeping your condition under control and monitoring your condition to see if it is getting worse rather than better. When asthma is not well controlled, you can likely expect to experience one or more of the following:
If you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare provider to determine whether there have been significant changes in your respiratory health.Spirometryand other tests may be used to evaluate the extent of these changes and what, if any, changes to your treatment plan need to be made.
If your asthma symptoms become even more severe, you may reach a point where your symptoms are causing you significant distress and making it difficult for you to function in your everyday life. If left untreated, respiratory distress can lead to serious complications and even death. Don’t take a chance. Seek care as a matter of urgency.
Emergency SymptomsGo to the emergency room if any of the following occur:You have severe wheezing while breathing in and out.You are breathing extremely fast (tachypnea).You are short of breath while talking or have difficulty talking.You are sweating profusely as you labor to breathe.You have a blue-ish tinge to your fingertips or lips (cyanosis).You are unable to perform a PEFR.You have the feeling of impending doom or panic.
Emergency Symptoms
Go to the emergency room if any of the following occur:You have severe wheezing while breathing in and out.You are breathing extremely fast (tachypnea).You are short of breath while talking or have difficulty talking.You are sweating profusely as you labor to breathe.You have a blue-ish tinge to your fingertips or lips (cyanosis).You are unable to perform a PEFR.You have the feeling of impending doom or panic.
Go to the emergency room if any of the following occur:
Summary
The main and most common symptoms of asthma are wheezing, cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Yawning, fast breathing, and fatigue are other signs your body isn’t able to get enough air. Trouble breathing can lead to problems with sleep and concentration.
Your asthma may not be well controlled if you cough or wheeze with exertion, you’re more tired than usual, or your medications don’t seem to work as well as they used to. Seek emergency help if your wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness is severe.
What Is Asthma?
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ullmann N, Mirra V, Di marco A, et al.Asthma: differential diagnosis and comorbidities.Front Pediatr.2018;6:276. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00276Niimi A.Cough and asthma.Curr Respir Med Rev.2011;7(1):47-54. doi:10.2174/157339811794109327Shen H, Hua W, Wang P, Li W.A new phenotype of asthma: chest tightness as the sole presenting manifestation.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2013;111(3):226-7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2013.06.016Löwhagen O.Diagnosis of asthma - a new approach.Allergy. 2012;67(6):713-7. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02821.xCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Common asthma triggers.Fehrenbach H, Wagner C, Wegmann M.Airway remodeling in asthma: what really matters.Cell Tissue Res. 2017;367(3):551-569. doi:10.1007/s00441-016-2566-8Zhang L, Lasmar LB, Castro-Rodriguez JA.The impact of asthma and its treatment on growth: an evidence-based review.J Pediatr (Rio J).2019;95 Suppl 1:10-22. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2018.10.005Murphy VE.Managing asthma in pregnancy.Breathe (Sheff).2015;11(4):258-67. doi:10.1183/20734735.007915
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ullmann N, Mirra V, Di marco A, et al.Asthma: differential diagnosis and comorbidities.Front Pediatr.2018;6:276. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00276Niimi A.Cough and asthma.Curr Respir Med Rev.2011;7(1):47-54. doi:10.2174/157339811794109327Shen H, Hua W, Wang P, Li W.A new phenotype of asthma: chest tightness as the sole presenting manifestation.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2013;111(3):226-7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2013.06.016Löwhagen O.Diagnosis of asthma - a new approach.Allergy. 2012;67(6):713-7. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02821.xCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Common asthma triggers.Fehrenbach H, Wagner C, Wegmann M.Airway remodeling in asthma: what really matters.Cell Tissue Res. 2017;367(3):551-569. doi:10.1007/s00441-016-2566-8Zhang L, Lasmar LB, Castro-Rodriguez JA.The impact of asthma and its treatment on growth: an evidence-based review.J Pediatr (Rio J).2019;95 Suppl 1:10-22. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2018.10.005Murphy VE.Managing asthma in pregnancy.Breathe (Sheff).2015;11(4):258-67. doi:10.1183/20734735.007915
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ullmann N, Mirra V, Di marco A, et al.Asthma: differential diagnosis and comorbidities.Front Pediatr.2018;6:276. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00276Niimi A.Cough and asthma.Curr Respir Med Rev.2011;7(1):47-54. doi:10.2174/157339811794109327Shen H, Hua W, Wang P, Li W.A new phenotype of asthma: chest tightness as the sole presenting manifestation.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2013;111(3):226-7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2013.06.016Löwhagen O.Diagnosis of asthma - a new approach.Allergy. 2012;67(6):713-7. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02821.xCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Common asthma triggers.Fehrenbach H, Wagner C, Wegmann M.Airway remodeling in asthma: what really matters.Cell Tissue Res. 2017;367(3):551-569. doi:10.1007/s00441-016-2566-8Zhang L, Lasmar LB, Castro-Rodriguez JA.The impact of asthma and its treatment on growth: an evidence-based review.J Pediatr (Rio J).2019;95 Suppl 1:10-22. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2018.10.005Murphy VE.Managing asthma in pregnancy.Breathe (Sheff).2015;11(4):258-67. doi:10.1183/20734735.007915
Ullmann N, Mirra V, Di marco A, et al.Asthma: differential diagnosis and comorbidities.Front Pediatr.2018;6:276. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00276
Niimi A.Cough and asthma.Curr Respir Med Rev.2011;7(1):47-54. doi:10.2174/157339811794109327
Shen H, Hua W, Wang P, Li W.A new phenotype of asthma: chest tightness as the sole presenting manifestation.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2013;111(3):226-7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2013.06.016
Löwhagen O.Diagnosis of asthma - a new approach.Allergy. 2012;67(6):713-7. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02821.x
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common asthma triggers.
Fehrenbach H, Wagner C, Wegmann M.Airway remodeling in asthma: what really matters.Cell Tissue Res. 2017;367(3):551-569. doi:10.1007/s00441-016-2566-8
Zhang L, Lasmar LB, Castro-Rodriguez JA.The impact of asthma and its treatment on growth: an evidence-based review.J Pediatr (Rio J).2019;95 Suppl 1:10-22. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2018.10.005
Murphy VE.Managing asthma in pregnancy.Breathe (Sheff).2015;11(4):258-67. doi:10.1183/20734735.007915
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