Some doctors and healthcare professionals refer to “silent asthma,” but you’ve probably had trouble defining it. While this term has entered medical practice jargon, it is not widely accepted as a medical term.
There are several reasons why people refer to “silent asthma,” and understanding their meaning requires knowledge of “silent symptoms.” Let’s take a look at the various terms used to describe asthma and asthma symptoms, and see what “silent asthma” really means.
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What exactly Is silent asthma?
There is no clear definition of silent asthma. It is not a diagnostic term, and some healthcare professionals may use it casually to refer to silent symptoms of asthma.
Asthma symptoms that are not audible are referred to as silent symptoms. Coughing and wheezing would not fall into this category. Shortness of breath and chest tightness are the most common silent symptoms of asthma. These two symptoms, however, are rarely enough to diagnose asthma.
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Asthma symptoms that go unnoticed
The symptoms of silent asthma are similar to those of regular asthma, but there is no coughing or wheezing. Symptoms could include:
- Distress, anxiety, or agitation
- Fatigue
- Tightness in the chest
- You’re out of breath.
- Speaking with difficulty
Severe symptoms that necessitate prompt medical attention may include:
- Breathing retractions that appear as sinking or sucking in the area when breathing muscles are working hard (retractions may be most noticeable between the ribs or at the base of the neck)
- Breathing quickly
- Inability to speak due to breathing difficulties
- Cyanosis (bluish color around the lips or beds of the fingernails, which indicates poor oxygenation)
- Passing out or dizziness
Causes
Asthma does not always have a specific cause. There are, however, some known risk factors for asthma development:
- Genetics
- Allergies
- Environmental factors, such as pollution exposure
- Infections of the lungs
- Obesity
It should be noted that the term “silent asthma” is not well defined or researched. If a healthcare provider tells you that you have silent asthma, it could simply mean that you have mild or moderate asthma symptoms without wheezing or coughing.
Even if you don’t have the more audible symptoms all the time, almost everyone with asthma will experience wheezing and coughing at some point.
One reason you may not be wheezing or coughing is that your airways have not tightened sufficiently to restrict air movement through your bronchioles, or at least not sufficiently to produce these typical breathing noises.
It’s also possible that you’re wheezing, but it’s so faint that you can’t hear it. Not everyone with asthma has the same symptoms, and yours may vary depending on the day and situation.
Diagnosis
If your doctor suspects you have asthma based on your symptoms, physical exam, and medical history, he or she may order one or more of the following tests to confirm the diagnosis:
- Spirometry: A spirometry test determines how much air enters and exits your lungs. Spirometry can be done before and after bronchodilator administration (a medication that dilates the airways).
- Bronchoprovocation tests: Determine how your spirometry changes when you are exposed to allergens.
- Peak expiratory flow: The amount of air you can exhale with the most effort.
- By increasing the amount of nitric oxide you exhale, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measures inflammation in your airways.
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Treatment
Asthma has several treatment options, including medication, procedures, and avoiding triggers.
Triggers
Triggers are any events that cause asthma symptoms. Identifying and avoiding asthma triggers can be a critical component of your treatment plan.
Asthma triggers may include:
- Allergies (i.e., mold, pollen, pet dander)
- Pollution of the atmosphere
- Toxins or chemicals (i.e., tobacco smoke, cleaning supplies, paint fumes)
- Exercise
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