This article explains symptoms of asthma in adults, symptoms of asthma in children, atypical asthma symptoms and much more.
Symptoms of asthma
- Cough, especially at night
- Wheezing
- Lack of air, shortness of breath
- Heaviness in the chest, pain and sore feeling
But the symptoms can be different even for the same person at different times. All symptoms may not immediately manifest, but at different times - different. Symptoms of asthma can differ significantly from each other. For example, once - a slight exacerbation of symptoms, the next - very serious, requiring hospitalization.
It happens that a person for a long time does not feel any signs of asthma, and only sometimes this calm breaks the aggravation of symptoms, which is called an asthma attack. Others have the same symptoms every day. In addition, there are people who have asthma attacks begin only during intense physical exertion or after suffering a viral illness such as influenza.
Moderate symptoms are most common. Usually, it takes several minutes to several hours to resolve them. But with more serious attacks, which are less frequent, you may need emergency medical help. It is very important to identify and begin treatment of symptoms at the earliest stage of their development. This will prevent further development of asthma and will enable to keep the disease under control.
Definition of symptoms at the initial stage of the disease
Early warning signs are changes that appear before or at the very beginning of an attack. These symptoms can begin before the traditional symptoms of an attack and are warning signs that the condition of the disease is deteriorating.
But these signs may not be so noticeable as to distract you from your daily activities. If you learn to recognize them, you can stop the attack or prevent its further development. Such signs include:
- Frequent cough, especially at night.
- Dyspnea.
- Increased fatigue or weakness after exercise.
- Sizzling breath or cough after physical exertion.
- Fatigue, rapid change of mood: a person quickly becomes sad, becomes grouchy or sullen.
- Reduction or changes in lung performance, as indicated by the pneumotachometer readings.
- Signs of a cold or an exacerbation of allergies (sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, headaches).
- Problems with sleep.
If there are first signs of exacerbation of symptoms, you need to take medication, as the doctor appointed.
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Symptoms of asthma[/caption]Definition of asthma symptoms in children
Asthma affects between 10% and 12% of children and is the leading cause of chronic diseases in children. For unknown reasons, the spread of asthma in children over the years only increases. Although asthma symptoms can occur at any age, but in children the symptoms begin to appear only after 5 years.
Asthma is inflammatory processes and increased the formation of thick mucus inside the bronchus. Not all asthmatics have such a symptom as wheezing. A chronic cough with asthma can be the only obvious symptom and asthma will continue to develop, remaining unrecognized unless the cough goes into relapsing bronchitis.
Determination of the symptoms of an impending asthma attack
An asthma attack is a phenomenon in which the muscle tissues surrounding the airways are greatly reduced. This reduction is called bronchospasm. During an attack, the airways swell or become inflamed, and the glands secrete more mucus than normal.
All these factors - bronchospasm, inflammatory processes, mucus formation - cause an exacerbation of such symptoms as shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, inability to perform daily activities. Other symptoms may also appear:
- Loud wheezing with inspiration and exhalation
- The incessant cough
- Rapid breathing
- Pain or a feeling of contraction in the chest
- The contraction of the muscles of the neck and chest, called retraction
- It's hard to say
- A sudden feeling of anxiety or panic
- Pallor and excessive sweating of the face
- Blue lips or fingertips
An asthma attack can very quickly develop into a severe form, so it is very important to take immediate action when the slightest signs appear.
Without an emergency use of a medication, such as an inhaler or bronchodilator, breathing becomes even more difficult. If, at this time, the pneumotachometer is used, it will show a value of less than 50%.
Since the lungs continue to contract, after a while you will not be able to use a pneumotachometer. In the end, the lungs are so compressed that there will not be enough room for air circulation, and wheezing will disappear. This is what is called "silent breathing" and this is a terrible sign. In this case, you need immediate hospitalization.
Unfortunately, very often people believe that the disappearance of wheezing is a sign of improvement, and refuse medical help.
If you do not get the right and timely medical help, then after a while you will not be able to speak and blue spots may appear around your lips. If the color of the spots changes, what is called cyanosis, then this indicates a constant decrease in the flow of oxygen into the blood. Without aggressive medical intervention, you will soon lose consciousness and, in the end, die.
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asthma medical help[/caption]If an asthma attack begins, follow the instructions of your asthma treatment program and seek medical help immediately.
What you need to know about atypical asthma symptoms
Not everyone has the traditional symptoms of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath. Sometimes people develop non-standard symptoms that are not associated with asthma at all. Here are a few "unusual" symptoms:
- Frequent breathing.
- Sighing.
- Fatigue.
- Inability to exercise normally (such asthma is called stress asthma).
- Problems with sleep (or nighttime asthma).
- Anxiety.
- Inability to concentrate.
- Chronic cough without wheezing.
Also the symptoms of asthma may seem like symptoms of other diseases such as bronchitis, vocal cord dysfunction, even cardiovascular diseases.
It is very important to understand and be able to listen to your body. Talk to your doctor and other asthmatics. One must realize that every person can have their own symptoms.
Why do infectious diseases affect asthma exacerbation?
Sometimes a viral or bacterial infection can become a causative agent of asthma. For example, the cause of exacerbation of asthma at the moment was a cold disease. Or an asthma attack triggered a bacterial infection of the nasal sinuses. Asthmatics often have sinusitis.
It is very important to know the signs and symptoms of respiratory infections and immediately consult a doctor when they appear so that the doctor can diagnose and prescribe the treatment on time. For example, along with a bacterial infection, symptoms such as shortness of breath, shortness of breath, wheezing, can be exacerbated. In people who do not suffer from asthma, bronchial infections do not cause such symptoms. Listen to your body and warnings of an impending infection. Take timely medication prescribed by your doctor to get rid of the infection and resume control of asthma and good health.