How to Recognize Symptoms

• Coughing. A cough or hack that may not go away, and often occurs or is worse at night.
• Wheezing. A whistling sound that's usually heard when you breathe out.
• Shortness of breath. Feels like you're trying to breathe through a straw—or worse, like you can't catch your breath at all. Breathing out is especially tough.
• Chest tightness. Feels like a rope being tightened around your chest.

These symptoms may occur if you don't stick to your treatment plan, or when you come into contact with triggers that set off your asthma symptoms.

Asthma is always with you. Your airways are constricted and inflamed, whether you have symptoms or not. That's why it's so important to treat asthma every day as directed by your healthcare professional—even when you're feeling fine—because there is increasing evidence that, if left untreated, asthma may cause lung damage and a decline in lung function.