Is It Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease. When you have asthma, problems with the airways inside your lungs can make it hard to breathe. The two main components of asthma are:
- Swelling and irritation inside the airways (also called inflammation)
- Tightening of the muscles around the airways (also called bronchoconstriction)
Asthma symptoms may include cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. These symptoms may occur during the day or night. If you have asthma, it's with you all the time, even if you are not having symptoms.
Click here to answer a few questions to help you and your healthcare professional to assess whether or not you may have asthma. If you respond "yes" to any of these questions, you may have asthma and should speak to your healthcare professional immediately.
Learn more about asthma from our supporting organizations
In This Section:
Do You Have Asthma?
If you think you have asthma, the Do You Have Asthma section will put you to the test
Talk With a Professional
The best "prescription" is always Talking With Your Healthcare Professional
Asthma Categories
Find out about different asthma "triggers" in Asthma Categories and where to go for more information