Eosinophilic Asthma

If you're an adult with asthma that's hard to manage, you may have eosinophilic asthma. It's a subtype of asthma, which is usually severe. You'll need your doctor and some tests to tell you if you have it. Knowing what symptoms to look for can help you prepare for your care and improve your quality of life.

Eosinophilic asthma symptoms can be similar to those of other types of asthma but are more constant and severe. You may experience blocked airways, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. You're also likely to have more frequent asthma attacks.

If you have eosinophilic asthma, treatments such as inhaled corticosteroids may not work for you. Corticosteroids that you take by mouth can help your symptoms, but you may have side effects. Talk to your doctor to find the right care plan for you.

People with asthma often have different types of allergies that act as triggers. That's not usually the case when you have eosinophilic asthma. Instead, in this, you're likely to have other health issues, such as sinus infections, growths in your nose (nasal polyps), aspirin sensitivity, and middle ear infections.

Because people with eosinophilic asthma may have less wheezing and more shortness of breath, doctors sometimes think they have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). That's a different lung disease and is more common in people who smoke. Keep a close watch on all your symptoms so you can give your doctor a complete picture of your condition.

It helps to know if you have eosinophilic asthma because you and your doctor need to keep a closer watch on it than other types of asthma. You might be able to get different treatments that can have a big impact on your quality of life.