Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the lungs. It is usually triggered by allergens, like pollen, dust and cigarette smoke; upper respiratory infections or colds; exercise; and other environmental factors. The typical symptom of asthma is wheezing, a high pitched noise when exhaling air from the lungs. The inflammation of asthma narrows the airway. When air goes through this narrowed space, it causes wheezing. Patients with asthma can have other unusual symptoms.
Unusual Respiratory Symptoms
Some unusual respiratory symptoms of asthma include rapid breathing without wheezing, which could be an ominous sign that the patient's airways are so narrowed that air is not moving enough to generate a wheeze. Sighing can be another unusual sign of asthma. Also, some patients have cough-variant asthma, in which their main symptom is coughing, not wheezing. These patients are diagnosed with bronchitis or other diseases before finally being diagnosed with asthma.
Unusual Cardiac Symptoms
Patients with asthma can have rapid heart rate and palpitations, or skipped heart beats. They can also have chest pain, which can be mistaken for heart disease. The symptoms of asthma can be confused with congestive heart failure. Sweating can occur, which in the context of chest pain can be misinterpreted as a heart attack.
Unusual General Symptoms
Unusual general symptoms include difficulty falling asleep and frequent nighttime awakenings. Because of this, patient can have fatigue and difficulty concentrating during the day, and anxiety. Another unusual symptom is inability to perform physical tasks or exercise at the same rate or endurance as other people.
