Asthma symptoms that are quiet are referred to as silent symptoms. Coughing and wheezing would not be included in this category. Breathlessness and chest tightness are the most typical silent signs of asthma.
An attack is usually characterized by audible sounds, such as gasping or wheezing. However, not all asthma attacks cause audible symptoms. This is known as silent asthma. Silent asthma causes other symptoms, including tightness in the chest, yawning, sighing, and difficulty catching your breath.
The specific cause of silent asthma cannot be pinpointed. However, there are a few factors that are known for the development of asthma: Obesity. Respiratory Infections.
Comprehensive treatment with a ventilator, hormones, epinephrine, analgesics, sedation, and muscle relaxants has a good effect on fatal asthma combined with a silent chest.
Variant or atypical asthma occurs in some patients who present without wheezing but with acute or chronic cough or dyspnea as the sole symptom of asthma. Paroxysms of cough or dyspnea may or may not be related to a specific stimulus, season, time of day, activity, postnasal drip, or respiratory infection.
Intermittent asthma is the mildest form of asthma and has very little impact on your daily life.
Yes, it is possible to have asthma without knowing it, especially if your symptoms are mild or atypical. If you suspect asthma or any kind of respiratory condition, you should consult a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis.
Silent Chest
In a severe asthma attack, there can be such a significant reduction in air flow that there's no wheezing or any other sound heard when you breathe. A healthcare provider may not even be able to detect lung sounds with a stethoscope. 7 This is a sign that you may need immediate treatment.
Some people don't need a daily medicine but EVERYONE who has asthma should have a rescue inhaler (albuterol) with them at all times.
Most people with asthma have a dry cough, one that does not produce mucous. This happens when the airways constrict in response to an irritant and is a feature of asthma. As well as the cough there is often a high-pitched wheeze sound that is also caused by the constricted airway.
Over time, untreated asthma can also lead to lung scarring and loss of the surface layer of the lungs. The tubes of the lungs become thicker and less air is able to pass through. The airway muscles become enlarged and less able to relax. This lung damage may be permanent and irreversible.
Uncovering Signs of Asthma in Adults
Irritating, persistent cough, particularly at night. Coughing or wheezing after physical activity. Coughing, wheezing or chest tightness after allergen exposure. Wheezing sounds during normal breathing.
As we sleep, our airways narrow which creates a little more resistance for the air coming in and out of our bodies. This can cause coughing, which tightens the airways further. Then your sinuses may drain, which can trigger an asthmatic response.
Blood tests: Your doctor may order blood tests to check your immune system. They will check the levels of a white blood cell called eosinophils and an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). If your levels are high, this may be a sign of severe asthma.
Your doctor may: Examine your nose, throat and upper airways. Use a stethoscope to listen to your breathing. Wheezing — high-pitched whistling sounds when you breathe out — is one of the main signs of asthma.
If you have asthma, the bronchi will be inflamed and more sensitive than normal. When you come into contact with something that irritates your lungs – known as a trigger – your airways become narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there is an increase in the production of sticky mucus (phlegm).
Adult-onset asthma is often caused by: Allergies. Hormonal changes including pregnancy, menopause and taking estrogen following menopause. Certain respiratory infections like the cold or flu.
Sometimes, postnasal drip syndrome is associated with asthma, as the thick mucus secretions drain from the back of the nose to the back of the throat, causing throat clearing, cough, and bronchial constriction.
Uncontrolled asthma can lead to severe exacerbations, or asthma attacks, that may require oral corticosteroids, an emergency room visit, or hospitalization. A rescue inhaler may be needed several times a day.
As we get older, asthma attacks can be more severe and take longer to recover from. Talk through your asthma action plan with your GP or asthma nurse so you know exactly what you need to do and who you need to call when symptoms flare up.
Poor asthma management can lead to airway remodeling. Airway remodeling is a serious condition that happens when asthma is untreated or poorly managed. The lungs become scarred, asthma medicines do not work as well and less air is able to move through your airways.