Adult Onset of Asthma

 Can you develop asthma as an adult?Yes.First, asthma is common - about 15 million Americans suffer from it.  Symptoms are:

• wheezing
• coughing
• increased mucous production
• difficulty breathing.

Asthma symptoms are caused by irritated, inflamed, obstructed airways, making breathing - the movement of air from the nose and mouth to the lungs difficult.The development of asthma in adulthood is labelled as adult onset asthma.About 50 percent of older adults who have asthma are allergic. That being said,  Adult Onset Asthma may or may not be triggered by allergies. If you had allergies as a child, but never experienced asthma symptoms, you may experience asthma as an adult. Or if you develop sensitivities to triggers in your environment or the food you eat -you may experience asthma symptoms.Who gets Adult Onset Asthma?The cause of asthma is still undetermined, recent studies show that heredity may play a role.There are however several traits that may contribute to the development of adult onset asthma.

• Women over age 20
• Obesity
• Allergies (People allergic to cats may have an increased risk for developing adult onset asthma)
• Excessive exposure to irritants, cigarette smoke, mold, dust, perfumes
• Illnesses, viruses or infection (Many adults first experience asthma symptoms after the flu or a cold)

Asthma can be successfully controlled. If you have the symptoms described here - get evaluated. Live in the NYC area - feel free to call my office for a consultation.