How To Recognize If You (Or Someone Else) Has Asthma
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How To Recognize If You (Or Someone Else) Has Asthma
Asthma is a condition that affects the lungs. It is most common in children, however adults suffer as well. Although you will need to visit a doctor for a definitive diagnosis, there are several reliable symptoms of asthma that you may notice on your own.
- Coughing a lot, particularly at night or early in the morning.
- Breathing problems that get worse after physical activity or that are worse during certain times of the year.
- A feeling of tightness in your chest.
- A cold that seems to last longer than 10 days.
Asthma does have a genetic component, so if someone in your family has asthma, there is an increased likelihood that you may have asthma as well.
When you visit a doctor for asthma diagnosis, your doctor will probably have you take a spirometry test. A breathing tube is attached to a computer, and the doctor will have you take a deep breath and exhale into the tube. The computer measures how much air you breath out. Your doctor may also measure how much air you breath out both before and after you take medication.
Once you are diagnosed with asthma, your doctor will work to get your symptoms under control. When your asthma is under control you will sleep better, be better able to participate in physical activities, and have fewer incidences of wheezing and coughing.
