Asthma Symptoms

If you have asthma, you'll probably experience one or more of the following symptoms:

WHEEZING

A whistling sound usually heard when breathing out.

COUGHING

A cough or hack that may not go away and often occurs or worsens at night.

CHEST TIGHTNESS

Feeling as if a rope is being pulled tighter and tighter around your chest.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

Feeling as though you're trying to breathe through a straw and can't catch your breath at all. Breathing out is especially tough.

What's behind these symptoms?

Some people think there is only one cause of asthma symptoms. But actually, asthma symptoms have two main causes, and both occur within the airways of your lungs:

AIRWAY CONSTRICTION

This is the cause of asthma symptoms that you may feel as a tightening in your chest. The muscles around the airways of your lungs squeeze together or tighten. This tightening is often called "bronchoconstriction," and it can make it hard for you to breathe.

INFLAMMATION

This is the cause of asthma symptoms you probably do not feel. If you have asthma, the airways of your lungs are always inflamed, and they become more swollen and irritated when asthma symptoms worsen. Inflammation can reduce the amount of air that you can take in or breathe out. In some cases, too much thick mucus is produced, which further obstructs the airways.