When do people develop asthma

Asthma symptoms can appear at any time in life. People can develop asthma at age 50, 60, or even later. Adults who develop asthma are said to have adult onset asthma. Unlike children who often experience intermittent asthma symptoms in response to allergy triggers or respiratory infections, adults with newly diagnosed asthma generally have persistent symptoms.

Daily medications may be required to keep asthma under control. Asthma is a disease of increased responsiveness of the airways to various stimuli including allergens and irritants that cause obstructions of the airways. Constriction of muscles around the airway and inflammation result in swelling of the lining and increased secretion of mucous.

This causes difficulty in breathing and coughing. The most common causes of an asthma flare up are infection, exercise, allergens, and air pollution an irritant. People who have asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Asthma can begin at any age but with proper management and education, people with asthma can lead normal, active lives. Several factors may make a person more likely to develop adult onset asthma.

Women are more likely to develop asthma after age Obesity appears to significantly increase the risk of developing asthma as an adult. Individuals who had asthma as a child may see asthma recur later in life.

People who are allergic to cats may have an increased risk for developing adult onset asthma. Hormonal fluctuations in women may play a role in adult onset asthma. Some women first develop asthma symptoms during or after a pregnancy. Women going through menopause can develop asthma symptoms for the first time.

Different illnesses, viruses, or infections can be a factor in adult onset asthma. A bad cold or a bout with the flu is often a factor in adult onset asthma.

Smoking does not cause adult onset asthma; however, if you smoke or if you are exposed to cigarette smoke second-hand smoke , it may provoke asthma symptoms. Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood. In many patients; however, the symptoms will disappear or are significantly reduced after puberty.

After age 20, symptoms may begin to reappear. Researchers have tracked this tendency for reappearing asthma and found that people with childhood asthma tend to experience reappearing symptoms through their 30s and 40s at various levels of severity. To diagnose asthma, your physician will question you about your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and conduct lung function breathing tests.

One reason may be that adults either ignore asthma symptoms or attribute them to being overweight, being out of shape or getting older. A: Most childhood asthma disappears in adulthood. But having childhood asthma increases your risk of a relapse in your 30s or 40s. Other factors that increase the risk of adult-onset asthma include:. For these reasons, adults with asthma are at increased risk for flare-ups and even hospitalization. Here are some additional tips:. Taliercio says. Death resulting from an asthma attack is rare and mainly occurs in adults over the age of 65, according to the CDC.

There are quick-relief and long-term control medications for both children and adults with asthma. Quick-relief medications are designed to ease symptoms caused by an asthma attack or flare-up. Long-term control medications are designed to ease inflammation and swelling for longer periods of time in order to prevent both an asthma attack and the long-term airway damage caused by uncontrolled asthma. Long-term control medications are typically taken daily for months, or even years.

Most children and adults with asthma use a combination of these medicines to treat their asthma. Both adults and children need to create an asthma action plan to outline what type of medicine they should take and when. To make this plan, discuss your treatment options with your doctor.

Plan what you should do in the event of an asthma flare-up. Define at what point you need to increase treatment measures to prevent or reduce an attack.

List what triggers can be avoided and the best ways to avoid them. Share this plan with friends, relatives, and any caregivers your children may have. Asthma is a common disorder among both children and adults. Although it can lead to difficulty breathing, with proper planning and preparation it is possible to control and prevent frequent asthma attacks.

There are many medications available for both short- and long-term care. Share your plan with friends, relatives, and caregivers. Spirometry is an important test for your lung health. Learn what to expect from the test and how to interpret your results. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Weinberger SE, et al. In: Principles of Pulmonary Medicine. Elsevier; Accessed March 30, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Accessed March 25, Asthma adult. Mayo Clinic; Global strategy for asthma management and prevention update. Global Initiative for Asthma. Accessed March 27, Khurana S, et al. Systematic approach to asthma of varying severity. Clinics in Chest Medicine. Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Wu TD, et al. Asthma in the primary care setting. Medical Clinics of North America. Fanta CH.