What Causes An Asthma Attacks – Asthma Triggers and Symptoms

What causes an asthma attack?  It is one of the first questions people ask when they are diagnosed with asthma.  In order to avoid and treat asthma, one has to understand the basics of asthma.

 Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects the airways.  A person who has asthma has swollen and inflamed airways, and as a result, has difficulty breathing.  Factors that trigger asthma include stress, infection, feathers, cigarette smoke, dust mite, and changes in weather.  Typical symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and trouble breathing, especially during nighttime and early in the morning.

 There is really no definite cause of what causes asthma.  However, there are known “triggers” that might set off an asthma attack.  Allergens, which include pollen, molds and mildew, cockroaches, dust mites, and feathers, could cause an asthma attack. 

 Other known triggers are irritants. Irritants are usually found in household products such as cleaning products, perfumes, and aerosol sprays.  Also, this could include air pollution, tobacco smoke, and industrial chemicals.  Physical conditions such as weather changes, emotional stress, and viral infections (flu, common cold) can also set off an asthma attack.

 Symptoms of mild to moderate attacks include coughing and spitting out of phlegm or mucus. Also, the sufferer may experience irritability, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping.  For extreme cases, common symptoms include breathlessness and difficulty in talking. 

 The sufferer could also experience tightening of neck muscles during breathing, gray or bluish lips and fingernails, and forceful breathing. 

 Understanding what causes asthma is an important step to fighting and treating the condition.  Although there is really no definite cause, you can avoid certain triggers that could set off an asthma attack.