He doesn't wheeze. He doesn't have allergies. But his cough and shortness of breath are the classic symptoms of adult-onset asthma. But, he said, it does illustrate the point that everyone needs to be aware of the risks, and the prevalence of asthma and other chronic lung diseases. There's times I'll see patients who come in with a chronic cough they've had for a year or more and they go to other doctors who do chest X-rays and don't find anything.
Summer is the mean season for people with asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
An abundance of smog, pollen and mold combined with high humidity make breathing a chore for sufferers. Summer in Cincinnati, like in many river cities, is especially ugly when bad air quality meets a high allergen count, said Dr. Kreindler. We sit in an inversion layer and all this stuff never moves. Mr. Vogel said his symptoms don't get any worse during hot weather. But during smog alerts, he tries to stay indoors.