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Those with cough-variant asthma differ from patients with the standard condition in that they may or may not have the other classical symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath. This form of asthma may also be diagnosed as a chronic cough if it has lasted longer than six to eight weeks. The cough may occur at any time of the day and may be exacerbated by exercise (known as exercise-induced asthma) and exposure to allergy triggers such as dust or smoke.
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While cough-variant asthma may occur in anyone, children with childhood asthma are most at risk. There is also a danger that cough-variant asthma may eventually lead to classic asthma and its associative symptoms. Otolaryngologists warn that coughing may also follow an upper respiratory tract infection such as sinusitis. There has also been research that suggests that coughs following beta-blocking medications may be of the cough-variant asthma type. Beta-blockers are medications used to treat heart conditions, migraines, and glaucoma, among others.
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Those who believe they may have cough-variant asthma should immediately visit their nearest otolaryngologist. The condition may be difficult to diagnose (often being labelled as bronchitis or postnasal drip cough), but a proper inspection of the individual’s family history, current medication list (if any) and a simple asthma test should immediately provide the correct diagnosis.
Seek proper medical advice from trusted otolaryngologist, Dr. Robert R. Beltran. Learn more by following this Twitter account.
