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Asthma in adults

How do doctors diagnose asthma in adults?

Most adults with asthma have had the disease since they were children.

Source:
Weiss ST.
Epidemiology and heterogeneity of asthma.
Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2001; 87 (supplement 1): S55-S58.

¹ Some people seem to "grow out" of their asthma as teenagers but start getting symptoms again as an adult.

Source:
Taylor DR, Cowan JO, Greene JM, et al.
Asthma in remission: can relapse in early adulthood be predicted at 18 years of age?
Chest. 2005; 127: 845-850.

² A few people get asthma for the first time as an adult.

Questions about your symptoms

Your doctor will want to know what symptoms you get, when you get them and how long you've been having them.

To learn more, see Questions your doctor may ask.

Examination

Your doctor will probably examine your chest and listen to your breathing through a stethoscope.

Tests

There are several tests that can help your doctor find out what's causing your breathing problems. But not all tests are always available.

To learn more, see Tests for asthma.

Ruling out other conditions

Not many people get asthma for the first time as an adult. So doctors may check for other conditions before checking for asthma. Your doctor may think you have a condition called COPD (short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), especially if you smoke.

The symptoms of COPD are very similar to the symptoms of asthma. COPD usually happens in people over 40 who smoke. So if you have breathing problems, it's important that your doctor finds out whether you have asthma or COPD.

To learn more, see our information on COPD.

Other conditions with similar symptoms to asthma are:

Hyperventilation syndrome (when you breathe in and out too fast)
Bronchiectasis (when the airways in your lungs have become damaged)
Some rare allergies or diseases of the

immune system
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.

immune system that affect your lungs.

If your doctor is still unsure if you have asthma, you may be given a trial of asthma drugs (a steroid inhaler or a quick-relief inhaler) to see if they help. If the drugs help you, your doctor will then know that you have asthma and can work out a treatment plan.

Sources for the information on this page:

Weiss ST.Epidemiology and heterogeneity of asthma.Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2001; 87 (supplement 1): S55-S58.

Taylor DR, Cowan JO, Greene JM, et al.Asthma in remission: can relapse in early adulthood be predicted at 18 years of age?Chest. 2005; 127: 845-850.

This information was last updated on Mar 06, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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