Asthma: Symptom and Causes

Symptoms

Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. The other symptoms include:

• Frequent cough, especially at night
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling very tired or weak when exercising
• Wheezing or coughing after exercise
• Feeling tired, easily upset, or moody
• Signs of a cold or allergies (sneezing, runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, sore  throat, and headache)
• Trouble sleeping

If the symptoms are worse than usual then you are said to be under asthma attack. Treating symptoms when you first notice them is important. This will help prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a severe asthma condition.
Most children who have asthma develop their first symptoms before 5 years of age.

Causes

  The various causes of asthma are

• Outdoor allergens from molds and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers
• Indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander)
• Irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in the workplace, compounds in home décor products, and sprays (such as hairspray)
• Medicines such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and nonselective beta-blockers
• Sulfites in foods and drinks
• Viral upper respiratory infections, such as colds
• Physical activity, including exercise 
• Obesity