How Do I Know If I Have Asthma?

What are the symptoms of asthma?

Medical doctors define asthma as -chronic inflammatory disease of the airway- that causes the following symptoms:
- Chronic (regular) cough
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- A feeling of tightness in the chest

Do not assume if you have the above symptoms that you have asthma. Asthma is very difficult to diagnose. There are a lot of other similar diseases which act like asthma. If you detect constant wheezing or any of the above symptoms - go to your doctor to be tested.

Persistent cough is a common sign of lung disease. Coughing is a major feature of asthma, especially in children. If your infant or child coughs to the point of vomiting, discuss the possibility of asthma with your doctor. There are reasons other than asthma for a long-term cough, like whooping cough and postnasal drip.

Your doctor will evaluate some or all of the following to make a diagnose of asthma:
- Your medical history
- Your family history
- What your symptoms are, how frequently they occur and whether they improve with medication
- Whether you have allergies
- What your individual triggers are (that is, what things or situations tend to lead to your experiencing asthma symptoms)
- Your lung function, using tests like peak flow monitoring and spirometry to determine how quickly you can expel air.

You are more likely to have asthma if you have a parent or close relative with allergies and/or asthma. Not everyone who has allergies has asthma. Asthma and allergies are not the same thing. An allergy is a reaction to a substance (allergen); these allergens are usually harmless. Allergens like pollen, mould, animal dander and dust mites can make asthma symptoms worse by increasing the inflammation in the airways and making them more sensitive. The best way to find out if you are allergic to something is to have an allergy test.