Doctors at CARE Hospitals have stated that a persistent cough lasting more than two to three weeks, particularly if it worsens at night or early morning and is accompanied by intermittent breathlessness or chest tightness, may indicate undiagnosed asthma rather than a routine cold, allergy, or seasonal infection.
Speaking on the occasion of World Asthma Day 2026, doctors noted an increase in asthma and other respiratory conditions, driven by air pollution, construction dust, vehicular emissions, weather fluctuations, and rising indoor air pollution exposure.
This year’s theme, “Access to Anti-Inflammatory Inhalers for Everyone with Asthma – Still an Urgent Need,” highlights that every person with asthma, including most pre-school children, should have access to inhaled corticosteroids to reduce asthma attacks and prevent deaths.
According to the Global Initiative for Asthma, asthma affects over 260 million people globally and causes more than 450,000 deaths annually, most of which are preventable. India accounts for an estimated 34.3 million people living with asthma, as per Global Burden of Disease estimates.
Dr. Sudhir Prasad, Senior Pulmonologist, CARE Hospitals, Malakpet, said,
““Asthma attacks cause significant distress not just to patients, but also to their families. They can disrupt schooling, careers, sleep, and daily functioning, and in severe cases, can lead to emergency hospitalisation or even death. Yet many of these complications are entirely preventable with timely diagnosis and appropriate inhaler therapy.””
He added, “Asthma attacks occur when the airways narrow due to tightening of airway muscles, swelling caused by inflammation, and excess mucus blocking the breathing passages. This reduces airflow into the lungs and compromises oxygen delivery to the body. That is why asthma symptoms should never be ignored.”
He further noted, “Many people believe asthma always presents with severe breathlessness. In reality, persistent cough, especially night-time cough, may be the only symptom in some patients. We diagnose asthma in many individuals who initially present only with chronic cough.”
Highlighting indoor air pollution, he said, “Prolonged AC use, poor ventilation, dust accumulation, fungal growth, pet hair, and indoor allergens are increasingly contributing to asthma flare-ups. In some cases, indoor air pollution is proving to be more harmful than outdoor pollution.”
Dr. Syed Abdul Aleem, Senior Pulmonologist, CARE Hospitals, Musheerabad, said, “One of the biggest reasons for preventable asthma emergencies is poor adherence to inhaler therapy. Many patients stop using inhalers once symptoms improve, assuming the disease has resolved. But asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that requires sustained long-term control. Discontinuing inhalers midway significantly increases the risk of severe asthma attacks.”
Doctors also stated that asthma symptoms tend to worsen during summer and dust-heavy months, as well as during seasonal and monsoon transitions, when airborne allergens, humidity changes, and respiratory infections increase.