Types of Asthma

There are several different types of asthma. Not everyone experiences asthma in the same way or due to the same causes. At one time, asthma was divided into types: intrinsic asthma and extrinsic asthma. Intrinsic asthma was caused by allergies, and asthma not caused by allergies was considered extrinsic asthma.

However, now that asthma is much better understood by medical experts, those two categories are obsolete. At present, there are several categories or types of asthma.

The most common type of asthma is allergic asthma, which affects nine out of ten people who suffer from asthma. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, occurs when the inside of the nose becomes inflamed due to sensitivity to certain allergens, such as pollen and dust mites.

When the allergens are inhaled, they trigger your immune system to respond by producing histamines and other chemicals, which is what creates the allergy symptoms. The allergy symptoms, in turn, can trigger asthma symptoms. People who have this type of asthma need to be aware of what allergens they react to and, if possible, avoid them.

A second type of asthma is intrinsic asthma. In this type of asthma, allergies are not involved. Intrinsic asthma is more common in adults, and typically develops after the age of 40. It is caused by irritants or factors that are not related to allergies, such as perfumes, tobacco smoke, cold air, cleaning chemicals, and fumes. This type of asthma can also be triggered by stress, acid reflux, or a viral infection. Treatment is not as effective for this type of asthma as it is for allergic asthma.

Cough-variant asthma is yet another type of asthma. People who suffer from this type of asthma often don't have the other typical asthma symptoms, such as wheezing. Rather, they have a persistent, non-productive cough.

Another category of asthma is steroid-resistant asthma. Most people with asthma respond well to steroids, but a small percentage do not. People with this type of asthma either need such high levels of steroids to control symptoms, in which case side effects are a significant problem, or steroids have little effect.

Occupational or work-related asthma is diagnosed when the asthma is triggered by inhaling irritants that exist in one's workplace. These irritants can include things such as gases, dusts, or fumes. This type of asthma is sometimes reversible, depending on the degree of exposure and damage.

Nocturnal or nighttime asthma is when asthma symptoms primarily occur or are the worst in the middle of the night, typically between 2am and 5am. People with this type of asthma are often exhausted during the day because of disrupted sleep, and can be especially at risk of dying from respiratory arrest.

The last type of asthma is exercise-induced asthma. People who suffer from exercise -induced asthma generally have asthma symptoms only when they participate in vigorous exercise.

As you can see, there are many different types of asthma. The type of asthma you have will determine the form of treatment your doctor prescribes.