asthma cough, how do you know.

With this being the time of year for colds, how do you know when the cough is due to a cold, and when asthma.

Only ask as I don't get many symptoms for asthma, just a slight cough, and tight chest which is easy to miss. Peak flow is the only way I can really know whats going on. Cough in the morning, but peak flow is over 90% in the morning and 95%+ at night, just a cold? Did have a chest infection a few weeks back, meds cleared that up (I think and hope)

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hiya i get a sort of barking cough with asthma whereas tend to be very chesty if ive got a cold or chest infection. Also keep an eye on your peak flow for any significant drop 80-100% of your best is fine and in your green zone if it drops below 80% or there is a lot of variation between pm and am peak flows see your gp asap if its lower than 50% then go to a and e.

This is what my asthma plan says as im a severe brittle who tends to go down very very quickly. I sometimes only wheeze for a short time unless i have an infection but always get chest pain and a cough.

Hope this helps obviously if you have an asthma plan of your own use it and follow that but as a rough guide to help you if you haven't.

Take care lv kat x

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Hiya!!!!

I am the same, I get a really barking, hacking type cough with my asthma (and sometimes the paramedics have said it sounds like I have croup or whooping cough) and also get a chesty type cough with a cold or infection....

I have brittle asthma and I have an action plan which has been tailored to my needs and adapted to fit all my meds in and also adapted because my practice/asthma nurses know my asthma very well now so they know the signs of an attack for as it happens quite rapidly....I follow this religiously atm....I also have to go by my peak flows and have to measure these strictly too for now...

Hope this helps

Sam x

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thanks. I think it's just a cold, but not sure if I got rid of the chest infection 100%, which is why I asked. I'll not worry about it unless I see the peak flow reading fall into the yellow zone.

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Hi

I usually get a barking hollow cough and usually this coinsides with a chest infection or is it not and infection and just asthma? I have antibiotics to self administer but find it difficult to distiguish between chest infection or just another asthma attack.

Also it seems to gurggle in my chest (not really a wheeze) and last for a while.

Any advice on how you guys cope would help or distinguise between chest infections or asthma. Oh and how long does everyone elses asthma last?

Nick

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hi nickC

I responded to woody-som's original question, my asthma cough tends to be a barking cough whereas my infection related cough tends to be chesty and productive. Everyone is different and its a case of getting used to your own asthma. Hope this helps lv kat Xx