The opening in the center of the tube then becomes smaller and breathing becomes more difficult. Breathing takes much more effort than usual, and this often causes chest tightness. When the muscles relax, the bronchial tubes return to a near-normal size. Asthma symptoms then resolve and breathing becomes easier. Others have just a few or only one.
Symptoms often get worse in the early morning and during the night.
The severity of symptoms often varies from person to person and from one asthma flare-up to another. In very severe asthma attacks, a person can be so short of breath that he or she cannot breathe without significant help. More commonly, a person experiences a mild, persistent, dry cough and occasional wheezing . Often there are provoking factors, or triggers, that cause asthma symptoms. Triggers differ from person to person.