Asthma Symptoms
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs. Asthma can be mild or serious in form. If you have asthma, you may have a bad cough, wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, and trouble breathing. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can usually be controlled.
In an asthma attack, the airways, or bronchial tubes, in your lungs react to some stimulus or trigger. The airways become inflamed and swollen and make more mucus than usual. Muscles around the airways in your lungs tighten or constrict. The constriction and swelling make it hard to breathe and cause the other symptoms of asthma. All asthma attacks give a warning. Recognizing early asthma symptoms may help prevent
an attack or keep them from becoming worse. Asthma Symptoms for children may include:
- An audible whistling or wheezing when your child exhales
- Coughing, especially if the cough is frequent and occurs in spasms
- Shortness of breath, which may or may not occur when your child exercises
- A tight feeling in your child's chest
- Waking at night with coughing or wheezing
Asthma Symptoms for adults may include:
- Disturbed sleep caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
- Chest tightness or pain
- Increased shortness of breath or wheezing
- Increased need to use bronchodilators, medications that open up airways by relaxing the surrounding muscles
- A fall in peak flow rates as measured by a peak flow meter, a simple and inexpensive device that allows you to monitor your own lung function
Many people with moderate or severe asthma use a device called a peak flow meter at home to measure lung function. The peak flow meter can help warn of a possible asthma attack even before you notice symptoms. You can then stop the attack by taking your medicine right away.
Asthma Symptoms to A
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