What does a person with asthma typically experience while breathing?

Individuals with asthma typically experience narrowing of the airways, which leads to difficulty in breathing. This constriction occurs due to inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and increased mucus production in the airways, making it challenging for air to flow in and out of the lungs effectively. Symptoms often include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, especially during physical activity or at night.

Understanding asthma's impact on breathing helps to grasp its nature as a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the respiratory system, rather than a condition where one would experience clear breathing or increased lung capacity. The focus on difficulty in breathing is critical because it encapsulates the essence of asthma as a disorder characterized by episodic exacerbations of airway obstruction.