Harvard University Health Services

What is Asthma?

If you have asthma, you are not alone. In the United States, about 15 million people have asthma, and nearly 5 million of them are children.

Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the airways in your lungs. Asthma is a result of abnormal behavior of the airways and chronic inflammation. The lining of the airways becomes inflamed or swollen as a result of irritants, allergies, or sensitivities. Your airways react and narrow, and you may experience symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or trouble breathing.     

Common Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma symptoms can be mild to severe. You may have one or more of the following symptoms:
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing (a whistling noise when you breathe)
  • Chest tightness (sensation of something heavy on your chest)
  • Shortness of breath

Life-threatening emergencies: call 911 or 9 911 (from campus)  |   Urgent care at HUHS: 617.495.5711

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Disclaimer: The information provided on our website is not intended to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. It is meant to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between an individual and his/her clinician.