Asthma is a physical condition in which the patient finds it extremely difficult to breathe properly due to narrowing of the airways and excessive production of mucus. This condition may be triggered due to a variety of different factors such as dust in the air, pollen, chemical fumes, extreme weather conditions, or certain types of physical exercise. There are certain early signs and symptoms that you should watch out for when suspecting asthma:

1. Frequent cough
If someone is known to experience frequent episodes of excessive coughing, especially when laughing or performing intense physical activity, it is quite possible that they may be suffering from asthma. While this is more straightforward for adults, there can be a variety of reasons for tremendous coughing when it comes to children and is usually healed on its own. In people with asthma, such fits of coughing are usually experienced in the night more often than in the day.

2. Trouble breathing
Due to the constriction of airways and excessive production, it is commonly observed that people with asthma are known to experience difficulty breathing even when they are not experiencing an asthma attack. They may also experience a constant feeling of tightness in their chest that happens due to the tremendous strain experienced by the lungs. They also experience frequent episodes of coughing and shortness of breath throughout the night.

3. Difficulty sleeping
People with asthma find it difficult to get a full night’s sleep due to the intermittent coughing as well as lack of oxygen in the body. This results in certain symptoms of sleep apnea in such patients and could lead to further complications if left untreated. Due to nasal congestion and wheezing breath, such people are often also known to have a habit of snoring, which is another common sign among people with sleep apnea or asthma.

4. Frequent cold
Patients suffering from asthma complain of a blocked nose and sore throat more frequently than the average person. They experience symptoms such as a constantly runny or clogged nose, sore throat, frequent sneezing, frequent headaches due to clogged sinuses as well as allergies triggered by common factors like dust or pollen.

5. Wheezing
In people suffering from asthma, since the airways are quite narrow, there isn’t much room for air to flow through. This sometimes results in a wheezing sound that happens as a result of air passing through these narrow airways. The resulting sound often resembles a squeaky or whistle-like noise that is quite prominent.

6. Poor lung activity
A peak flow meter is an instrument that is used to measure a person’s lung capacity and determine whether their lungs are working in a healthy manner or not. In people suffering from asthma, the peak flow meter often indicates poor lung activity that is constantly fluctuating and deteriorating.