CAN IT BE ASTHMA - Q&A to Different Types of Asthma?
Are there different types of asthma?
A number of ways have been used to divide asthma into different 'types' or 'categories'. In reality, it is very hard to make these black and white divisions as there is often overlap between these different groups. For example, someone may have moderate asthma which is worsened by exercise, so they could be said to have moderate asthma which is also exercise-induced. Some ways in which people with asthma have been divided are summarised below.

  Extrinsic or Allergic Asthma
People whose symptoms are brought on by one or more external factors, such as pollen or dust, are said to have extrinsic or allergic asthma. This is particularly common in children who develop asthma.
  Intrinsic or Non-Allergic Asthma
People whose symptoms do not seem to be brought on by anything external are said to have intrinsic or non-allergic asthma. This is more common in people who develop asthma as adults. Their symptoms are more likely to be brought on, for example, by triggers such as exercise, emotion, or some drugs such as aspirin.
  Severity
Asthma is sometimes classified by how bad it is, for example, mild, moderate or severe. These divisions can be based on a number of things, such as how frequently people have symptoms, how restricted their activity is and how stable their peak flow is.
  Brittle Asthma
There are a small group of people who have very little or no warning of an acute severe asthma attack. In between these attacks, they are often very well and free from asthma symptoms on regular medication. This type of asthma, called brittle asthma, can be very dangerous but is fortunately very rare. Many people feel they have no warning of an attack, but this is often not the case. A majority of people will have warning signs if they know what to look out for. You can find out more about this in What to Look for.
  Response to Treatment
Sometimes people with asthma are categorised by how they respond to treatment. This is based on whether they are easy or difficult to treat.
  Occupational Asthma
People who develop asthma solely in response to something in their work environment are said to have occupational asthma. There are now many recognised triggers for occupational asthma including various sawdust and wood dusts, some plants and dyes and some hairdressing chemicals. You can find out more about occupational asthma in Asthma at Work.
  Nocturnal Asthma
This term is often used to describe people who have asthma symptoms at night. Disturbed sleep from asthma symptoms is very common. In fact, people can suffer very severe symptoms in the night and have no apparent symptoms in the day. This is one of the hallmarks of asthma. Symptoms at night should never be ignored and are usually a sign that asthma is not well controlled.
  Cardiac Asthma
This term is now rarely used and is completely different to the asthma we are concerned with here. Cardiac asthma has the same symptoms but these are caused by heart failure and not change in the lungs which is the bronchial asthma we are concerned with here. The treatments for this cardiac asthma are completely different.

Do these types have anything in common?
One thing all people with asthma have in common are the changes which occur in their lungs. The root of asthma is thought to be the inflammation or swelling of the lining of the airways which make up the lungs. This inflammation is present even in the lungs of people who suffer mild asthma when they have no symptoms. In addition, the muscles around the airways may tighten causing the airways to narrow or constrict and sometimes mucus is produced as well. This is explained more fully in What is Asthma?
Topic "Can it be Asthma?" Updated 14th August 2003  
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