Asthma is a common medical condition in which the respiratory airways narrow and swell, producing excess secretions and making breathing difficult. Symptoms of asthma often include shortness of breath, chest tightness, chest pain, audible whistling sounds and bouts of coughing and wheezing. People can mistakenly receive an asthma diagnosis because the symptoms often mimic those of other respiratory conditions, according to the MayoClinic.com.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, also known as COPD, is a group of lung diseases that causes severe scarring and breathing difficulties. The two most common forms of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD, according to the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms of emphysema include shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness similar to asthma, though the symptoms of emphysema are not usually notable until severe lung damage has occurred. Chronic bronchitis symptoms include yellowish respiratory secretions, frequent respiratory infections and shortness of breath, also similar to asthma.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure, also known as heart failure, occurs when the heart cannot pump sufficient amounts of blood to support the body's other organs. The American Heart Association explains that congestive heart failure commonly stems from coronary artery disease, scar tissue from previous heart attacks, high blood pressure or heart valve disease. Symptoms of congestive heart failure can mimic asthma including shortness of breath, reduced ability to exercise and persistent coughing or wheezing. Other symptoms of congestive heart failure may help to differentiate between it and asthma, including fluid retention in the legs, ankles, feet and abdomen. In congestive heart failure, shortness of breath often becomes worse when lying down and people often cough up pink foamy mucus, according to the MayoClinic.com.
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited life-threatening condition that causes severe lung damage. Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce sweat, mucus and digestive juices causing them to become thick and sticky causing blockages in tubes, ducts and passageways, according to the MayoClinic.com. In its earliest stages, cystic fibrosis symptoms can often resemble asthma symptoms such as persistent cough, wheezing, repeated lung infections and repeated sinus problems. Unlike asthma, cystic fibrosis also causes digestive complications because mucus blocks the tubes that carry digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine. When the intestines lack these enzymes, the intestines can't fully absorb the nutrients, causing foul-smelling greasy stools, poor weight gain and growth, a distended abdomen from constipation and intestinal blockages.
