Asthma is a medical condition in which the airways become inflamed and constricted, causing difficulty breathing and cough. Colds, upper respiratory infections, allergies and even exercise can trigger the symptoms of asthma, an event called an asthma exacerbation. Apart from triggering asthma exacerbation in a person with asthma, colds can also have symptoms that are similar to those of an asthma attack.
Cough
Cough is a symptom of both an asthma exacerbation and a cold. Coughing is a mechanism to clear mucous and other cellular debris from the airways in the lungs. During a cold, coughing is also triggered by nasal drainage of mucous and phlegm to the back of the throat. According to FamilyDoctor.org, the cough occurring during a cold does not require treatment and will go away on its own. Patients with asthma need treatment for their cough, as it is a sign of airway inflammation and obstruction.
Wheezing
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound occurring during expiration of air through narrowed or inflamed airways. It is a distinctive symptom of asthma, but it can also occur in patients with a cold. According to MedlinePlus, this is particularly true in children younger than two years of age who can get colds that progress to bronchiolitis, a viral lung infection that can cause significant coughing and wheezing. The difference between wheezing in asthma and in a cold is that bronchodilators, medicines that open up the constricted airways of an asthmatic, may not function to the same degree in people who are wheezing because of a cold.
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath or respiratory distress is another common symptom of people with asthma that can also occur in those with colds. The shortness of breath is related to inflammation in the airways, which makes it difficult to take deep breaths and to properly exchange oxygen in the lungs. People with colds can have shortness of breath also from upper airway inflammation, like a sore throat, and enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids. Infants who are obligate nose breathers can get short of breath from the mucous and inflammation in the nasal tissue caused by colds.
