Asthma Symptoms and Signs

The symptoms of asthma vary from person to person and within individuals from time to time. It is very important to remember that many of these symptoms can be subtle and similar to that seen in other conditions. All the symptoms mentioned below can be present in other respiratory conditions, and sometimes, the heart. This potential confusion makes identifying the occurrence of symptoms and diagnostic tests, it becomes very important to recognize these abnormalities.

Four main symptoms are recognizable:

• Shortness of breath - especially with exertion or at night
• Wheezing (wheezing) - a whistling or hissing sound when breathing
• Cough - may be chronic; generally worse at night and early morning time, and can occur after exercise or exposure to cold and dry air
• Chest tightness - may occur with or without the above symptoms

Asthma Facts

Asthma classified according to the frequency and severity of symptoms, or "attacks", and the results of tests of lung function.

• 30% of patients mempunayi asthma symptoms are mild, intermittent (less than two episodes per week) with breathing tests are normal
• 30% have asthma symptoms are mild, persistent (two or more episodes per week) with breathing tests are normal or abnormal
• 40% have symptoms of moderate or severe asthma, persistent (daily or continuously) with abnormal breathing tests