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While primary care providers can diagnose and treat asthma, consultation with a specialist, such as an allergist or pulmonary or lung specialist, may be necessary from time to time. Asthma symptoms are sometimes mistaken for an infection.

Moderate and mild asthma attacks are common for asthma sufferers. During these attacks an asthma sufferer may feel restless, feel her chest tighten, wheeze and/or cough up mucus. Severe attacks interrupt breathing, causing breathlessness, difficulty talking and eventually loss of consciousness, if not treated immediately. Asthma symptoms and how serious they are can vary greatly, but they should always be taken seriously.

Common symptoms of asthma include:

• dry cough, especially at night or as a response to certain "triggers" or allergens

• a feeling of tightness or pressure in your chest

• difficulty breathing

• wheezing—which sounds like a whistling sound—when you exhale

• shortness of breath after exercise

• colds that migrate to your chest or don't go away for 10 days or more

• waking up at night short of breath

Common asthma triggers include the following:

• dust mites

• pollens

• molds

• food allergies

• pet dander (protein in pet fur, saliva and urine)

• cockroaches

• respiratory infections

• certain medications, such as aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, and beta blockers

• exercise

• stress

• menstrual cycles in some women

• irritants (tobacco smoke and some scented products and chemicals)

If you are experiencing one or more of the symptoms associated with asthma and have never received treatment or medication for it, make an appointment with a health care professional soon. To accurately diagnose your condition, your health care professional will ask you questions about your symptoms, perform a physical exam and conduct lung function tests.

Asthma symptoms are often associated with other illnesses in older adults, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and sinusitis. COPD is a persistent blockage of the air passages caused by emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Emphysema occurs when the walls of the alveoli—or tiny air sacs—in the lungs are damaged. This damage makes the aveoli less elastic and, therefore, less effective at passing oxygen into the blood and removing carbon dioxide from the blood, leading to shortness of breath. Chronic bronchitis, which produces a persistent cough not related to a cold or other medical condition, causes inflammation of the airways, which produces mucus and causes muscle spasms.

It is estimated that about 74 percent of people with asthma also experience GERD, which causes the stomach's digestive juices to back up or "reflux" into the esophagus—the passageway for food from the mouth to the stomach. Over time, the esophagus becomes inflamed or permanently damaged. Chronic heartburn, cough, snoring, wheezing and hoarseness are some symptoms of GERD.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 50 percent of people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis, and many patients with asthma won't improve unless their sinusitis is treated. Additionally, many only get asthma when their sinusitis is worse. Thus, a complete assessment of asthma always requires a review of the sinuses.

Tests that measure your airflow are a primary tool in the diagnosis of asthma. Some health care professionals might use a spirometer, which is a machine that measures how much air you blow out each second. Another test used for the same purpose employs a peak flow meter to measure how much air you can breathe out in a fast blast. These tests are simple and painless, but offer revealing information about your airflow. Your health care professional might also measure your airflow before and after treatment.

Other tests may be administered to assess your sensitivity to specific allergens that may be triggering your asthma. Health care professionals often use skin tests to determine the exact nature of an allergy. The doctor will inject diluted extracts from allergens—particular foods, pollens, dust mites, etc.—under your skin or into a tiny scratch or puncture on your arm or back. If you have a positive reaction (meaning your are indeed allergic), a small, raised, reddened area with a surrounding flush will appear at the test site, indicating antibodies to that specific allergen are present in the skin.

Your health care professional might also conduct a blood test, which is not as sensitive as a skin test, to look for allergies. Using a sample of your blood, the test looks for levels of antibodies to particular allergens.