How do you know you have asthma?

[DansFriend]

Sometimes I have a feeling of my trachea closing up like I won't be able to take a breath but then it goes away immediately. I do have allergies, and last night when I was dusting in my room it seemed to irritate my breathing a little with some coughing.

[shanla]

Sounds like you need to go to a doctor and have tests run for allergies and asthma. Asthma can kill so it shouldn't be messed with, get diagnosed now and treated.

[Cali Gal]

Allergies deffinitely sound like a contributer to your discomfort, but I would at least go get checked out by your doctor. All three of my siblings have severe asthma and trust me when I say that it's not something to mess around with. You said your experiencing tightness in your throat but also be looking for tightness in your chest and indentations between your ribs when you breathe. It's called retraction and it's super dangerous---For the love of Mike, if you even think its a possibility GO GET CHECKED so you can be treated. I've lost three very close friends to this stuff and it's for real. Take care---

[colorofmoneyy]

i went in a few years back to one of the local hospitals to do this test to see if i have asthma since my mom has had it for awhile and my older sister had it when she was a kid/teen...but it just turned out i have anxiety. you should definitely call the doctor about this...he or she will probably just do a few tests and possibly do what my doc did and send you to a specialist for it. i don't know what they're called...but what they do is you go in and sit on this chair and breathe in to this huge straw looking like thing....you have to blow as much as you can in a certain amount of time. and all this other stuff...it detects how much you can give out before you cant do it anymore, i guess. but it is possible it's asthma or it's just anxiety....it's more of a chance if someone else in your family has had it or have it now....here's a few things i pulled up on a self test for asthma (oh and i don't know if everybody does the test thing i did before..sorry when i was trying to explain it if it sounded confusing)for a asthma quiz you can go to these sites...http://www.asthma.com/do_i_have_asthma_quiz.htmlhttp://www.webmd.com/content/tools/1/quiz_asthmahttp://www.webmd.com/content/tools/1/quiz_asthma_symptoms.htmAsthma signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe. You may have only occasional asthma episodes with mild, short-lived symptoms such as wheezing. In between episodes you may feel normal and have no difficulty breathing. Some people with asthma have chronic coughing and wheezing punctuated by severe asthma attacks.Most asthma attacks are preceded by warning signs. Recognizing these warning signs and treating symptoms early can help prevent attacks or keep them from becoming worse.Warning signs and symptoms of asthma in adults may include:Increased shortness of breath or wheezing Disturbed sleep caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing Chest tightness or pain Increased need to use bronchodilators — medications that open up airways by relaxing the surrounding muscles A fall in peak flow rates as measured by a peak flow meter, a simple and inexpensive device that allows you to monitor your own lung functionthere ya go! if you took the quizzes and it says you may have a chance you have it and the symptoms are what you have definitely go to the doctor. also, do a little research on it.i hope everything goes well for you!