Asthma and Colds

If you have asthma, catching a cold may worsen your symptoms. It's important to understand asthma symptoms and cold symptoms and to know which asthma medicines you need to use to prevent asthma flares and asthma attacks. The information here about asthma can help you stay well when coping with asthma and a cold.

What's the difference between asthma and colds?

Asthma is associated with inflammation of the bronchial tubes. These are airways -- the lower ones -- that are inside your lungs. Colds result from infection with a rhinovirus. This kind of virus affects your nose, throat, and sinuses. These are the upper airways.

You normally take air into your body through your nose and windpipe into your bronchial tubes. At the end of these tubes there are tiny air sacs called alveoli that deliver fresh air (oxygen) to the blood. These air sacs also collect stale air (carbon dioxide). The stale air is exhaled out of the body.

During normal breathing, the bands of muscle that surround the airways are relaxed. Air moves freely. During an asthma attack, three main changes occur that stop air from moving easily through the airways:

1. The bands of muscle that surround the airways tighten. This makes the airways narrow. This tightening is called bronchospasm.
2. The lining of the airways becomes swollen or inflamed.
3. The cells that line the airways produce more mucus, which is thicker than normal.

All of these factors -- bronchospasm, inflammation, and mucus production -- cause asthma symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, and difficulty performing activities.

Colds are respiratory infections caused by viruses. Several hundred different viruses may cause your cold symptoms. These viruses also affect your airways, sinuses, throat, voice box, and bronchial tubes.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

Not every person with asthma has the same symptoms in the same way. Symptoms of asthma may also vary from one asthma episode to the next. They might be mild one time and severe another time.

Asthma does not cause a fever, chills, muscle aches, or sore throat. The most common asthma symptoms include the following:

• Frequent coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness

What are the symptoms of a cold?

Cold symptoms begin abruptly with great discomfort in your throat. That discomfort is followed by clear, watery nasal discharge; sneezing; a tired sensation known as malaise; and sometimes a slight fever. Postnasal drip from your nose and sinuses causes you to have a sore throat and cough.

For the first few days of a cold, your nose is filled with watery nasal secretions. Later, these secretions become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is normal and does not necessarily mean that you have developed a bacterial infection.

What cold symptoms indicate I may have a bacterial infection?

When a cold causes blockage of normal drainage from your sinuses, the sinuses can be infected by bacteria. If you develop a bacterial infection, you may need to be treated with an antibiotic. Call your doctor if you experience any of these signs:

• Coughing up greater amounts of yellow- or green-colored mucus
• Fever (with a temperature over 101° F) or chills
• Increased fatigue or weakness
• A very sore throat or pain when swallowing
• Sinus headaches, upper toothaches, or tenderness or pain of the upper cheekbones

Also call your doctor if you have any other cold symptoms that cause concern, such as the following:

• Increased shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or wheezing
• Symptoms getting worse after 7 days
• Symptoms remaining unchanged or getting worse after 10 days
• Eye pain or swelling and/or vision changes
• Severe head or facial pain or swelling