Asthma affects the airways in the lungs, causing them to narrow and resulting in breathing difficulties. The extent of the narrowing, and how long each asthmatic attack lasts, can vary greatly.
Typical symptoms are:
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms can range from mild to severe. In people who suffer regularly from asthma, symptoms are typically worse at night, or first thing in the morning. For example, you may wake up some nights coughing or with a tight chest.
Treatment depends upon the severity of the condition – which falls into three main levels.
Severe Asthma
If you suffer from severe asthma, you become very wheezy, have a tight chest, and have difficulty in breathing. You may find it difficult to talk because you are so breathless. Occasionally, severe symptoms develop suddenly and unexpectedly in asthma sufferers who normally only have moderate asthma.
Moderate Asthma
In moderate asthma, you may have episodes of wheezing and coughing from time to time, and sometimes become breathless. You may also have periods without symptoms except the tendency to be wheezy for some of the time.
Mild Asthma
If you have mild asthma, for most of the time you will have no symptoms. However, you may develop a mild wheeze and a cough if you have a cold or a chest infection, or in the hay fever season, or when you exercise.
If you think you may be suffering from occupational asthma or another respiratory related disease because of your working conditions, please contact our personal injury solicitors today for advice on making an occupational asthma claim.
