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12 Signs and Risk Factors of Asthma

By: Jeff Hayward on Tuesday, May 1st

Asthma is a common condition, but it should still be taken seriously, as it can lead to death in some unfortunate cases. The best line of defense is knowing you have it, then getting the proper remedy from the doctor – usually a steroid inhaler to open up the lung passages.

Asthma usually has specific triggers – so another benefit of knowing you have it is being able to avoid what makes it worse – from tobacco smoke to dust mites and mold. Here are 12 signs you may have asthma…

1. Feeling Fatigued

Health.com says that feeling chronically fatigued is a “byproduct” of asthma, meaning that the other symptoms – like coughing, which we’ll get to – can tire you out. Also, you may be experiencing symptoms at night, which could lower your quality of sleep, it adds.

“When the airways become narrow, it makes the patient work a little harder to breathe on a more constant basis,” notes the source. You may not think of this as extra physical activity, but it can take its toll. Fatigue can be a sign of many conditions, so it’s best to let a doctor sort it out.

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