Asthma is a chronic condition that afflicts the airways in the lungs. When certain pollutants are breathed in from the air, the airways constrict and become inflamed. Some examples of pollutants that can trigger asthma attacks include pet dander, pollen, mold, dust, smoke, paint fumes, and even exercise. When asthma is seen in adults, there are various symptoms that appear and they are the same as with children.
Step 1
Coughing is a common sign of asthma. When an asthmatic breathes in air that has pollutants in it, the muscles around the lungs can constrict causing him to cough. This can be seen when he walks across a fresh cut lawn or when he goes from a warm to cool climate quickly.
Step 2
Spitting up mucus is another symptom. Mucus is composed of water, salts and a substance called mucin. It is used to trap any foreign substances and then expel them from the body. These substances can form in the lungs when someone has asthma, causing him to cough up mucus.
Step 3
Wheezing can take place during regular breathing. When a person wheezes, he makes this whistling type sound. It sounds as if there is some kind of obstruction in the airways.
Step 4
An asthmatic can become short of breath. Being that the airways are being constricted and inflamed, someone suffering from asthma may experience a loss of breath that can take place even with minimal exertion.
Step 5
The chest can become tight. Another symptom that can result from the airways being constricted is chest tightness. This occurs because the air being pushed out of the lungs is really hard to expel due to overly constricted airways.
