Do I have asthma?

Question

Im always short of breath and nearly feel like I have to catch my breath. It tends to be worse at night and in the morning time. I do a half hour walk everyday but even that has me putting my hands on my knees to catch my breath. I cough up a lot of mucus too. I feel my lungs are all clogged up. Ive felt like this since I was about 9 or 10. Im 20 now and Im fed up always feeling weak. How do I know if I have asthma or whatever. My mother and brother have asthma. Please only genuine answers back. Thankyou for taking the time to read this.

Answer 1

Asthma is a very common long-term condition that affects your airways and breathing. Approximately one adult in 13 is currently being treated for asthma in the UK.
Asthma affects the airways, the small tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, your airways are sensitive and easily become swollen. When they are irritated they narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there may be an increase in production of sticky mucus or phlegm. This makes it harder to get enough breath, and causes wheezing, coughing and your chest may feel tight.
Asthma may be very mild, or it can be very severe. Most cases are somewhere in between. Even if your asthma is mild, you should visit the GP regularly to have it monitored. Your GP can then prescribe the treatment most likely to help your symptoms and prevent your asthma from getting worse. An asthma attack can become very serious, if you can't control the symptoms with your treatment regime - you should see your GP or a hospital doctor immediately if this happens.
The cause of asthma is not fully understood. It is partly an allergic condition. There is also a genetic connection between asthma, hay fever and eczema. This suggests that these three conditions can be inherited (they can run in families).
Sometimes certain triggers can bring on symptoms. It's sensible to try to avoid these triggers as much as possible, as they will make your asthma worse. Common triggers include house dust mite, animal fur, pollen, tobacco smoke, cold air, viral and bacterial chest infections.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I feel your pain. I've had asthma for 14 years now and have seen several doctors. The truth is, there is no known cure for asthma at the moment. But the symptoms can be prevented. It really depends on what causes your brother's asthma. Mine is usually dust and hot weather. But I think the universal method is using the control inhaler.

I cured my Asthma the natural way?

Answer 4

I've asthma dignosed at age 5 but its getting better as ive gotten older but all the symtoms you have discribed i have so I think you probally have.it
but my sister also has these symtoms has something different, broncolllis(sorry i dont know how to spell it) due to allegeys (Cat and pollen) its in the hayfever family with simmulor symtoms of asthma so you could also have that ---all you need to prevent it is anti histomen tablets (Sorry about spelling).

Best thing to get dinosed is to do something that provokes an reaction before you see a doctor as it take twice as long to dignose if the doctor cant see the symtoms.

these things will help prevent and ease attacts.

1. wear a scarf over you face when going from hot to cold air as it let your lung adust to temp slowly preventing irratation

2. open you bedroom window when hovering/dusting and leave it open for a hour after(to clear dust) it also helps doing the same half an hour before bed.

3 dont make the bed( you be glad to hear) fold your covers at the of the bed end keeping the bed cool making it a less comfortable place for dust mite breading.

Wah bed clothes at high temp. to kill dust mites.

Sleep proped up, put youself higher up in bed. ie more pillows trust me it makes it easer to breath at night.

pet can be no where near fabric of any kind esspully cats keep them out of your room.

A hot steamy shower can help ease symtoms.

stay calm the more you panick the harder it is to breath. If it last over 5 mins (mild attack) -its going to stay for hours(moderte attack) so if this happens often best see a docter. Warning if you can see your chest bones or can see more defined coller bones when you breath or finding it hard to speek a full sentance its a (severe attack) always go to a doctor! if you dont have meducation for it or it doent work.


once again sorry about spelling my spell checker is not working now. When it does i'll edit it to fix it up to make it easer to read.

Answer 5

Most people who have untreated asthma have a cough that wakes them up at night time - its like a dry, tickly cough. I would have also thought in this period of time you would have had an asthma attack, and even if it's mild you'd know all about it!

With asthma there is a problem breathing out not in, so it feels different to being out of breath and there isn't any mucus involved (there is mucus in your lungs and airway, but not that you could cough it up).

But I'm no doc, so I would get an appointment and get it checked out. Even if it's not asthma it sounds like you need to go to the docs anyway.

Hope it's all ok!

(Why would someone give me and Redhead a thumbs down for this kind of answer - have we offended someone?)

Answer 6

If you have felt like you did for more than 10 years why on earth have you not gone to the quacks?

You are supposed to grow out of it maybe they are waiting to see if this happens

Not being funny but would you want to carry an inhaler everywhere? I enjoy it and get lots of attention when I get it out in a pub - everyone feels sorry for me

Answer 7

The only way you can know for sure is to go to a doctor. I have had ashtma since 2nd grade, and no one could diagnose it but the doctor. You should deffinetly get that checked out.

Answer 8

yes and/ or allergies. given that your mom and bro have it, why don't you ask them about it? If you have air-way constriction & inflamation, you have asthma. It could be a virus, but you've had it for 10 years, so yeah asthma.
Why dont you try a puff off your moms albuterol, within seconds you will see that you dont have to live like this anymore.
also, Quit smoking, and/or stay away from smoky areas.

Answer 9

A pulmonary function test will answer your question leaving no doubt.
The symptoms you describe, look like asthma though.

Answer 10

you should see your doctor.