Asthma A to Z - Asthma Warning Signs and Symptoms

Asthma signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe. You may experience only occasional episodes of asthma with moderate, short-lived symptoms, such as wheezing. You might also cough and wheeze most of the time or find that your symptoms become much worse after exposure to an asthma trigger, such as pollen, mold or tobacco smoke. In severe cases, an asthma attack leaves you gasping for air.

Learning to recognize warning signs and treating symptoms early can help prevent attacks or keep them from becoming worse.

Warning signs and symptoms for adults can include:

• Increased shortness of breath or wheezing
• Disturbed sleep caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• Chest tightness or pain
• Increased need to use bronchodilators, which are medications that open 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