Asthma: Causes, Symptoms, Triggers and Treatment Info
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Understand asthma, its causes, symptoms and triggers, how it differs from COPD, and how medication and trigger control help prevent severe attacks.
At a Glance
- 1 - Asthma has no cure, so the disease remains even when a person feels well and can flare up at any time.
- 2 - As many as 50 percent of older adults with obstructive airway disease show overlapping features of both asthma and COPD.
- 3 - Diagnosis usually relies on the pattern of symptoms, response to therapy over time, and spirometry, which measures breathing.
- 4 - Triggers can include sulfites in food and drink, exercise, viral colds, allergens, and medicines such as aspirin and non-selective beta-blockers.
Topic Definition
- Asthma
Asthma is a common, long term inflammatory disease of the airways marked by variable and recurring symptoms, narrowing of the airways, and bronchospasm. During an attack the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs tighten and become inflamed, the surrounding muscles contract, tissues can swell, and extra mucus builds up, all of which make breathing difficult and can produce wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. It is thought to arise from a mix of genetic and environmental factors, and it is typically diagnosed from the pattern of symptoms, the response to treatment over time, and lung function testing such as spirometry. While asthma has no cure and can flare unexpectedly even when someone feels well, most people are able to control it by identifying and limiting their triggers, using medication as prescribed by a doctor, and keeping their lungs strong through suitable exercise.
Overview
What is Asthma?
Asthma is defined as a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Its diagnosis is usually based on the pattern of symptoms, response to therapy over time and spirometry - (meaning the measuring of breath).
Simply put, asthma narrows the tubes present in the lungs during an acute attack, which makes it more difficult for the sufferer to breathe.
Three factors affect this spasmodic reaction in the lungs' tubes. Because sufferers are struggling to breathe, the muscles around the airways also tighten during an attack, and edema may also occur (basically, swelling), which makes it even more difficult to breathe. Mucus may also build up because mucus occurs as a reaction to irritants and tries to act as a buffer or coating to both remove any irritant and to soothe the underlying tissue. This constitutes an asthma attack.
Asthma attacks can be relatively benign or very severe. Using a quick-relief inhaler as prescribed and staying calm can stop many attacks, but a severe attack needs emergency care. Experienced asthma sufferers know that it helps to be calm during an attack, to make symptoms less severe and go away more quickly. Inexperienced sufferers, or those prone to nervousness anyway, may experience panic attacks, which would make the asthma attacks even more severe. The harder you try to breathe, the harder it becomes. You may truly feel as though you are drowning.
Why Do Some People Get Asthma and Others Don't?
No one knows for sure who will get asthma and who won't, but there are several predisposing factors, including genetic predisposition. Others prone to asthma may include those who smoke and those who are overweight or obese, and who do not remain physically active.
Whatever your particular predisposition, if you have asthma, it will help to know what your triggers are. These include pollen, dust, cigarette smoke, animal hair and dander, and others. Those with the most severe asthma may even have to be careful with vigorous exercise or extreme laughter, for example. Fortunately, with the intervention of medications, these types of situations are relatively rare.
If you do have asthma, the good news is the that you can control it, both by limiting your exposure to your triggers and knowing what they are, and using proper medication as prescribed by your doctor. You should also get sufficient exercise geared to your particular situation, since strengthening your lungs will also help thwart asthma attacks.
One theory, behind breathing retraining methods such as the Buteyko method, is that asthma is a defense mechanism the body uses to keep the right balance of different gases in the lungs. Some people report fewer symptoms after retraining their breathing (meaning slowly and carefully), although it does not cure asthma. Whether or not this theory is true, certainly, calm and relaxed breathing does, indeed, help keep asthma at bay, as does strengthening the lungs, as previously stated.
Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are symptoms asthma sufferers are used to.
They are also the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For sufferers, as well as physicians, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two conditions. According to a presentation at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, as many as 50 percent of older adults with obstructive airway disease have overlapping characteristics of asthma and COPD. And this percentage increases as people get older.
Based on symptoms alone, it can be difficult to diagnose COPD vs. asthma. The pathway to a diagnosis of COPD or asthma - smoking vs. a long-term persistence of asthma - can be quite different. In every patient, but in older patients in particular, we need to take a thorough history and perform a physical examination, as well as measurements of lung functions.
In patients with COPD and asthma, the changes in lung function may be severe, and it is not often apparent, which is the predominant, underlying condition - asthma or COPD. Treatment will differ depending on diagnosis. Lung function changes in asthma are due to airway inflammation, and treatment is directed at reducing inflammation with corticosteroids - largely, inhaled corticosteroids. But the changes in lung function associated with COPD are caused by cigarette smoking and, except with an exacerbation, are not particularly responsive to corticosteroids.
What is the Cause of Asthma?
Allergic Rhinitis:
The cause of asthma is also known as a trigger, and one trigger is rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is excessive discharge of mucus glands in the nose, congestion of the veins in the nasal cavity that can cause blockage of nasal airflow and cause irritation of the sensory nerves in the nose and throat.
These symptoms usually occur when airborne allergens are inhaled and are usually harmless until the immune system reacts by making antibodies. These antibodies stick to the surface of special cells called mast cells and release pro-inflammatory substances including histamines, which are a cause of asthma.
These changes in the body cause an obstruction to airflow in and out of the lungs, and during breathing these obstructions will increase and cause a wheezing and trapping of the air in the chest.
Heredity Causes:
Heredity is a big cause of asthma in children. The tendency to become allergic is inherited and is influenced by many genes, including some that affect the production of an antibody called IgE. However, a child who inherits this tendency usually develops allergic asthma only after exposure to allergens in the environment.
Bronchial Irritability:
Bronchial irritability is the basic cause of asthma problems. The inflammation of the bronchial walls causes loss of protective cells from mucosa therefore exposing sensitive nerve endings to the affected area. This is probably a direct result of genetics.
Other Causes:
Besides the top 3 reasons, there are still some other things we should know that bring on an asthma attack. Dogs and cats cause asthma attacks in some people. Tobacco smoke, cold air, exercises, and even laughing can cause attacks.
Exposure to certain things in your work environment can cause asthma in adults who never had it before.
There are many medical things that can be a cause of asthma, but there are things that an asthmatic must avoid. For example, dogs and cats can cause an attack in some people.
Tobacco smoke, and not just cigarettes, but cigars and pipes as well will cause attacks. The cold air can be a cause of asthma. When someone gets anxious, it can cause them to start breathing irregularly, which will bring on an attack. It is hard to say for certain, however, what the cause is and hard to diagnose a cure.
Asthma Has No Cure
Even when you feel fine, you still have the disease, and it can flare up at any time.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood.
In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About 4.2 million of these people are children.
Common Asthma Triggers and Symptoms
Many things can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms. Your doctor will help you find out which things (sometimes called triggers) may cause your asthma to flare up if you come in contact with them. Triggers may include:
- Sulfites in foods and drinks
- Physical activity, including exercise
- Viral upper respiratory infections, such as colds
- Allergens from dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollen from trees, grasses, and flowers
- Medicines such as aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and non-selective beta-blockers
- Irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals, or dust in the workplace, compounds in home decor products, and sprays (such as hairspray)
Asthma Statistics
- Asthma rates vary between countries, with a prevalence between 1 and 18%.
- While asthma is twice as common in boys as girls, severe asthma occurs at equal rates.
- Adult women have a higher rate of asthma than men, and it is more common in the young than the old.
- In children, asthma was the most common reason for admission to the hospital following an emergency department visit in the US in 2011.
- As of 2019, about 262 million people worldwide were affected by asthma, and about 455,000 people died from the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
- Global rates of asthma have increased significantly between the 1960s and 2008 with it being recognized as a major public health problem since the 1970s.
- Asthma affects approximately 8% of the population of the United States and 5% of people in the United Kingdom. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have rates of about 14 - 15%.
NOTE: You should never add to, or alter any component of, your current asthma treatment without first consulting your physician.
Famous People with Asthma - Listing of well-known and famous persons, both living and deceased, who have and suffered from Asthma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can asthma be cured?
There is no cure for asthma, but it can usually be well controlled with the right medication, trigger management, and regular medical review.
What is the difference between a reliever and a preventer inhaler?
A reliever inhaler eases symptoms quickly during an attack, while a preventer inhaler is used regularly to reduce airway inflammation and lower the risk of flare ups.
Can you develop asthma as an adult?
Yes, adult onset asthma can begin at any age, sometimes triggered by workplace exposures, infections, or other environmental factors.
Is asthma dangerous during exercise?
Exercise can trigger symptoms in some people, but with proper treatment and warm up most individuals with asthma can stay active and even play competitive sport.
How do I know if my asthma is well controlled?
Good control generally means few daytime symptoms, no night waking, minimal reliever use, and no limits on your normal activities.
What should I do during a severe asthma attack?
Stay as calm as possible, use your reliever inhaler as directed, and seek emergency medical help if breathing does not improve or rapidly worsens.
Does weather affect asthma?
Cold air, sudden temperature changes, high pollen counts, thunderstorms, and air pollution can all worsen symptoms for many people with asthma.
What is an asthma action plan?
An asthma action plan is a written plan from your doctor that lists your daily medicines, how to spot worsening symptoms, and what to do in an emergency. It often uses green, yellow, and red zones to guide decisions.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: