Asthma: Feeling constricted and short of breath?

Intermittent wheezing, chronic coughing, a tight feeling in the chest and shortness of breath: In Bahrain, one in ten children and one in fourteen adults suffer from asthma. What are the symptoms, causes and treatment options?

Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease in which the airway is always inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult to breathe. Inflammation triggers several reactions: The lining of the mucous membranes in the bronchi becomes very sensitive and swells, and a sticky mucus forms that can stick to the bronchi. The muscles around the bronchi contract, and the airway and bronchial tubes narrow. Breathing muscle spasms are common in asthma attacks, leading to difficulty breathing.

Allergic and non-allergic asthma

There are two large groups of asthma, differing less in symptoms and more in causes: Allergic asthma is triggered by allergies and usually starts in childhood or early adolescence. It usually occurs seasonally, but over the years it can become chronic and cause symptoms even without exposure to allergens. Non-allergic asthma is more common in adults. The causes of asthma in adulthood are not yet clearly defined. Infections of the mucosal lining of the bronchi or chronic colds over a period of years are common triggers. Genetic factors also play a role.

Diverse symptoms and complaints

The frequency, duration and severity of asthma complaints vary greatly. "Asthma is a diverse disease. It not only has multiple causes, but is also experienced in different ways," explains Angelika Ramsayer, senior pulmonologist at the Cantonspital in Winterthur. Depending on the severity of asthma, there are noticeable permanent symptoms such as difficulty breathing. "In mild cases, these symptoms can only appear during stressful situations such as sports activity," adds the specialist.

Typical symptoms of more serious cases, according to Angelika Ramsayer, are "sudden and severe shortness of breath, a feeling of constriction in the chest, and difficulty breathing during upward breathing with a whistling sound". It can also be accompanied by a feeling of suffocation, an increase in respiratory rate and heart rate, and a cough with viscous phlegm. "Ascending breathing is the most difficult," explains the pulmonologist. "Because the airways are so narrow, it is not possible to breathe fully afterwards, and when the next breath comes in there is less room for air. Because of this, shallow breathing can occur and there is a feeling of shortness of breath."

In addition, there are asthma attacks that can last from a few minutes to many hours and can even become life-threatening. In rare cases, they can last for several days.

"Avoiding triggers along with pharmacological treatment is the most important factor for as complaint-free life as possible with asthma."

Causes: What triggers asthma?

Asthma symptoms are triggered by one or more triggers such as external triggers such as allergies. But also non-specific triggers such as cold air or a smoker can trigger the bronchi because they react very sensitively due to asthma. "Avoiding triggers in combination with pharmacological treatment is the most important factor for as complaint-free life as possible with asthma," explains Angelika Ramsayer. To minimise complaints and attacks, asthmatics should know their triggers.