These are the common symptoms of asthma. Some people will experience a mild form while others may have symptoms which will require urgent medical attention:
- Chest tightness.
- Breathlessness.
- Wheezing – listen to an audio clip (YouTube).
- Persistent cough.
- Night time breathlessness or symptoms which are worse at night.
- Silent asthma – some people have no warning or wheeze, they suddenly feel breathless.
- Increased sputum which can be hard to cough up.
People with asthma might have one or more of these symptoms. They usually come and go and can change throughout the day.
They can happen at rest or on doing activities and they are sometimes worse at night.
The cause of the symptoms is not always clear but sometimes triggers can be identified.
See NHS Choices asthma self assessment – Could you have asthma?
