5 lesser-known warning signs of an asthma attack
While some clues are surprising, if you know what to look for, you'll be better prepared for your next attack.
Jan, 2026
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Coughing and wheezing are common signs of an asthma attack. But are they the only signs? Not by a long shot, says allergist and immunologist Clifford Bassett, MD, author of The New Allergy Solution. Some other clues can be surprising. But if you know what to look for, you'll be better prepared for your next attack.
Written byJameson Kowalczyk.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.
Sources: MedlinePlus. Signs of an Asthma Attack. February 3 + 10
- MedlinePlus. Signs of an Asthma Attack. February 3, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Tripod Position: Orthopneic, Purpose and How It Works. May 1, 2025.
- Merck Manual Consumer Version. Asthma. July 2025.
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Asthma Signs and Symptoms. January 1, 2022.
- World Health Organization. Asthma. May 6, 2024.
- Allergy and Asthma Network. Asthma Symptoms and Triggers. Accessed October 15, 2025.
- Mayo Clinic. Asthma: Limit Asthma Attacks Caused by Colds or Flu. September 26, 2024.
- American Lung Association. Create an Asthma Action Plan. September 5, 2025.
- Cleveland Clinic. Cyanosis (Blue Hands and Feet): Causes, Treatment and Diagnosis. October 17, 2022.
- American College of Emergency Physicians. Asthma—Know When to Go to the ER. Accessed October 15, 2025.
- Mayo Clinic. Asthma Attack. April 15, 2025.
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