It often takes a while before people learn that what they feel are symptoms of experiencing asthma. This usually happens before one is correctly diagnosed and the treatment is initiated. They usually appear when the airways inflame, tighten and get clogged with mucus. Common symptoms include:

• chest tightness, pressure or pain;
• shortness of breath;
• coughing;
• wheezing;
• low resistance to effort;
• feeling easily upset, tired, grouchy or moody etc.

Noticeable Differences

1. Although the above mentioned symptoms are considered general, and they appear in the majority of cases, personal individuality matters a great deal, not every person will manifest in the same way. Sometimes, symptoms vary from one attack to another, both in the way you feel and in the severity of manifestation. One attack may be mild and another incredibly severe.

2. Mild asthma attacks are considered common. The airways don’t take too long to open, and there is less need of immediate medical help. Severe attacks on the other hand are less frequent, yet, they require emergency medical intervention in the majority of cases.

3. Symptoms of asthma may be absent for a very long period of time in some patients, with sudden attacks. For other patients, the these may be present every day, with higher or lower intensity.

4. Other variations we ought to mention are those that appear with exercise and viral infections like colds. Sometimes the panic attacks symptoms are mistaken for asthma episodes in some patients, because of the same chest tightness and difficulty to breathe.

Among the unusual symptoms we ought to mention:

• chronic cough without wheezing;
• difficulty sleeping or nighttime asthma;
• sighing;
• fatigue;
• inability to concentrate etc.

In very many cases there is a combination of general and particular symptoms. Someone without medical training may not notice or explain the variations; that’s why medical consultations and monitoring of the condition are necessary.

The Experience of an Attack

Although the general symptoms we’ve mentioned above pretty much cover the experience of the asthma sufferer in general, during the asthma attack, the patient may be overwhelmed by the intensity of the episode as well as feel invaded by death apprehension in the form similar to a panic attack.

Severe symptoms of asthma that indicate an attack include:

• coughing that doesn’t stop;
• rapid breathing;
• chest pain and pressure;
• retractions with tightened chest and neck muscles;
• inability to talk;
• panic or anxiety;
• paleness;
• blue fingernails or lips.

Sometimes the asthma symptoms are mimicked by other conditions such as heart failure, vocal cord dysfunction or bronchitis. Only a health care provider can tell the difference and give correct diagnosis, telling when they are symptoms related to asthma or something else.