If you or your child has asthma – or you suspect it – learn as much about the condition as you can and bring any questions to your doctor. Below is an overview of asthma, as well as 10 important asthma facts to know.
Asthma Symptoms, Severity & Risk Factors
Symptoms of asthma vary from person to person, and the timing may be infrequent or constant. Typical attacks manifest with shortness of breath, pain in the chest or tightness, trouble sleeping because of breathing issues or coughing, and a wheezing sound while exhaling.
There are four classifications for asthma. Mild intermittent asthma occurs when symptoms happen up to two days a week and two nights per month. Mild persistent asthma symptoms happen more than twice a week, but no more than once a day; moderate persistent and severe persistent asthma are increased rates of breathing problems, culminating in issues that happen all day and all night.
There is little understanding of what exactly causes asthma, but several factors are thought to increase the risk of developing the disease. These include:
1) Family history – A parent, brother or sister with the disease makes it more likely to develop.