| Cough Variant Asthma is a type of asthma that gets | | | | tighten up so you don't feel the tightness in the |
| its name from its only symptom. With other types of | | | | chest. There is also no gunk being produced inside of |
| asthma there is a set of asthma symptoms that are | | | | the airways. The only symptom is the very |
| very typical. The difference with all asthma types is | | | | persistent cough. |
| not usually in what symptoms you have, but what | | | | Asthma Triggers |
| causes those symptoms. However, there is no typical | | | | If you have cough variant asthma, your asthma |
| list of causes, even for the same type of asthma. | | | | causes or triggers responsible for your chronic cough |
| Cough Variant Asthma Is Different | | | | are similar to the triggers for other types of asthma. |
| Instead of the usual four symptoms, with cough | | | | If you have asthma, you will have your own personal |
| variant asthma coughing is the only symptom. And | | | | list of things that your airways really hate. If you |
| instead of the usual asthma cough, this cough is a | | | | come in contact with or do any of those things on |
| very dry cough with no mucus being expelled. This | | | | your list, your airways will get really irritated. In the |
| cough can also last for a long time, perhaps for many | | | | case of cough variant asthma, the result will be your |
| weeks. It can also be a loud cough, what is called a | | | | chronic cough. The following things are a partial list of |
| barking cough. Since there are no other symptoms | | | | possible asthma triggers that might be on your list: |
| like wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of | | | | - Specific foods - could pretty much be anything |
| breath, this type of asthma often goes undiagnosed. | | | | - Different types of air pollution |
| What is Asthma | | | | - Aerosol sprays - like hair spray or deodorants, etc |
| Having any type of asthma, such as cough variant | | | | - Pet dander - all pets give off dander |
| asthma, means that your airways or breathing tubes | | | | - Cockroach droppings |
| going to your lungs are very sensitive to specific | | | | - Dust mites - in your bedding, carpets, etc |
| things. These things are called your asthma triggers. | | | | - Allergens - like grass or pollen, etc |
| Coming into contact with any of these things will | | | | - Mold - both indoor and outdoor |
| cause your airways to get really upset. And when | | | | - Smoke - all types |
| the airways of a person with asthma get upset, | | | | - Weather - could be certain types of weather or |
| there is a very predictable list of things that usually | | | | changes in the weather |
| happen. | | | | - Stress - or other strong emotions |
| - There is swelling on the inside of your airways | | | | - and the list goes on |
| which makes them smaller. | | | | Anything on the above list could could be one of |
| - The muscles on the outside of your airways try to | | | | your asthma triggers. In fact, you could have any |
| squeeze the airways shut, making them even smaller. | | | | number of those things on your list. You might even |
| - The inside of your airways create gunk (plegm or | | | | have a trigger that is not on that list. Everybody has |
| mucus are other words used) which clogs up the | | | | their own list and the way that you are affected by |
| airways even more. | | | | something on the list will be different from the way |
| With cough variant asthma, your airways do get | | | | that it affects somebody else. Some people with |
| irritated but not with the same results. They don't | | | | asthma have their airways get irritated all the time |
| become so small so that you have trouble breathing | | | | while others only see the problem every once in |
| and the muscles around the airways don't appear to | | | | awhile. |