In the United States, an estimated 26 million people have asthma, and many don’t even know it. With symptoms similar to a common cold, cases of this condition are often written off as a reality of cold and flu season. If you find yourself coughing constantly or have any of the other symptoms below, consider discussing with your primary care doctor the root of the problem.

Common Symptoms of Asthma

Coughing

The ever-common cough can merely be a symptom of a cold or bronchitis, but if it persists despite treating it, asthma could be the cause. This condition inflames your airways, causing your lungs to be more vulnerable to allergens or irritants in the surrounding air. Your body then coughs when it wants to dispel this irritation from your lungs.

Wheezing

When you hear a whistling sound when you breathe out, it means that the air dispelled through your lungs is being forced through a constricted air passage. Wheezing is a telltale sign of asthma because it indicates inflammation. Still, it can also signal other serious health concerns, like pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or even congestive heart failure. Check with your doctor to ensure you’re treating the right condition.

Trouble Breathing

With this condition, your airways may feel constricted as a result of inflammation and mucus build-up. When your body has trouble breathing, it can innately respond with tactics to alleviate the issue. Nasal flaring, for example, is particularly common in children with asthma, as your nose expands to try and increase airflow. Sighing is another typical symptom that expands your lungs to full capacity and pushes excess air into or out of the body.

Chest Tightness & Anxiety

These two symptoms work in a fairly cyclical nature. When your airways are placed under duress, the muscles in your chest will tense up, as if someone is tightening a rope around your torso. This issue can only further your difficulty breathing and trigger feelings of anxiety. This mental stress can also trigger chest pain, making the problem feed itself. Anxiety management is a crucial component of alleviating these symptoms and avoiding potentially dangerous asthma attacks.

How a Doctor Can Help

It is essential to check in with your primary care doctor regularly when you have asthma. Its severity can change over time, and your treatment can require adjustment as new symptoms surface. While they will likely prescribe an inhaler to alleviate asthma symptoms, your doctor wants to keep this quick-relief option as an infrequent aid.

Long-term control medications like inhaled corticosteroids are essential to keeping asthma under control, as they decrease inflammation in your airway. Well-controlled asthma should not affect daily activities. Exercise, in particular, can lessen your symptoms by improving heart and lung health. If you have trouble with cardio because of this condition, you need to talk with your primary care physician to adjust your asthma action plan.

Controlling your asthma symptoms is a group effort between you and your doctor to find the most effective treatment plan. In Albany, NY, the team of doctors at Urgent & Primary Care is dedicated to helping you live a successful and productive life with this condition. This father-daughter team will work with you to establish a treatment plan and adjust it to suit whatever symptoms come your way. For more information about this practice and to schedule an appointment, give them a call today at (518) 479-5240 or visit them online.