The air tubes tend to swell, just as swells when you get a scrape. The muscles in your air tubes tighten. These changes cause the air tubes to narrow. This makes it hard to breathe Asthma attacks may start suddenly. Or they may take a long time, even days, to develop.
Attacks can be severe, moderate or mild.
When these happen, you may become breathless. As you're less and less able to breath, you may have trouble talking. Your neck muscles may be tight as you breathe. Your lips and fingernails might have a grayish or bluish color. The skin around the ribs of your chest might be sucked in.