Did you know that asthma is no longer considered to be just one disease, but instead is split up into several categories? Asthma is categorized by age at onset, symptom triggers, severity of symptoms, and other factors, and a patient can fall into multiple asthma type categories depending on their unique situation. While asthma overall is very prevalent in the U.S., affecting over 22 million adults and just under 5 million children, not all types of asthma are considered common. Read on to learn more about what asthma is, the different types of asthma, and how common each type is.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes narrowing of the airways due to inflammation and excessive mucus production. This can cause difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Most asthma sufferers experience these symptoms intermittently during what is called an “asthma attack”. If left untreated, an asthma attack can be fatal in rare cases.
Types of Asthma
By Age of Onset
Adult-Onset Asthma
Adult-onset asthma is diagnosed when the patient’s asthma symptoms first emerge after the patient turns 18 years old. Over 22 million American adults have asthma.
Pediatric Asthma
Pediatric asthma is diagnosed when the patient’s asthma symptoms begin during childhood, often before the age of five. Around 5 million American children are diagnosed with asthma.
By Trigger of Symptoms
Allergic Asthma
Allergic asthma is diagnosed when asthma symptoms are triggered as a side effect of an allergic reaction. Around 90% of American children and 50% of American adults diagnosed with asthma have allergic asthma.
Non-Allergic Asthma
Non-allergic asthma is diagnosed when the patient’s asthma symptoms are not triggered by an allergic reaction. Around 10% of American children and 50% of American adults diagnosed with asthma have the non-allergic type. Viral infections or “colds” are a cause of nonallergic rhinitis.
Aspirin-Induced Asthma (AIA)
Also known as aspirin-sensitive or aspirin-intolerant asthma, AIA occurs when a patient with asthma ingests the medication aspirin or another form of NSAID medication. The patient will usually begin to experience an asthma attack within three hours of taking the NSAID. Around 10% of adults with asthma experience AIA. Children with asthma are rarely affected.
Exercise-Induced Asthma
If exercise or physically demanding tasks bring on a patient’s asthma symptoms, they may be diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma (also known as exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) or sports-induced asthma). Exercise-induced asthma affects about 90% of adults and children diagnosed with asthma and even about 10% of people without an asthma diagnosis. Having a dual diagnosis of asthma and allergies increases the patient’s risk for exercise-induced asthma.
Occupational Asthma
When asthma symptoms occur or are worsened when a patient is working, especially when working around irritating substances, it is called occupational asthma. Occupational asthma affects 10-25% of adults with an asthma diagnosis.
By Severity of Symptoms
Intermittent Asthma
When a patient experiences mild asthma symptoms that don’t have much effect on their daily life, their asthma may be considered intermittent. The patient may feel completely fine between episodes of asthma symptoms. The majority of asthma patients have intermittent asthma.
Persistent Asthma
When a patient’s asthma symptoms occur more than twice per week, or they always feel like they have a respiratory burden due to asthma symptoms, their asthma may be considered persistent. Persistent asthma may be further divided into levels of severity, including mild, moderate, and severe. Around 5-10% of asthma sufferers have severe persistent asthma.
Miscellaneous Asthma Types
Cough-Variant Asthma (CVA)
Cough-variant asthma is diagnosed when the patient’s only asthma symptom is a cough and they do not experience the other typical asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness. The cough is usually dry but may also produce mucus. CVA is considered to be a precursor for classic asthma, as up to 30% of people diagnosed with CVA will develop classic asthma in the future.
Nighttime Asthma
Nighttime or nocturnal asthma is diagnosed when a patient’s asthma symptoms occur or worsen during the night. While the exact cause of nighttime asthma is unknown, researchers believe it could be a combination of exposure to triggers, reclined sleeping position, airway cooling, and hormonal changes that occur during sleep. Around 40% of asthma patients experience nightly nighttime asthma symptoms.
Steroid-Resistant Asthma (SRA)
Corticosteroids are the standard treatment for asthma symptoms, so when a patient does not respond well to inhaled or systemic corticosteroid treatment, it is known as steroid-resistant asthma. SRA accounts for a disproportionate number of asthma-related hospitalizations since treating SRA is quite difficult. Around 10-15% of those diagnosed with asthma have SRA.
Quality Asthma Care in Tampa Bay
No matter what type of asthma you are dealing with, the expert team at AllergyTampa.com can get you on the most effective treatment plan possible, minimizing your symptoms and giving you back your quality of life. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 813-971-9743.
