Trouble sleeping? Chest pain? It could be adult asthma

If you're having trouble sleeping or struggling with chest pain, the cause might not be what you expect.

A new survey by National Jewish Health found about half of adults don't know chest pain and trouble sleeping could be symptoms of adult-onset asthma.

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Dr. David Beuther from National Jewish Health said: "Roughly about 1 in 10 adults has asthma, and some of those have carried it through from childhood. But many of them developed it new as an adult."

Children usually develop asthma symptoms before turning 5, but developing asthma as an adult isn't unheard of.

Other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, wheezing and a persistent cough, were more frequently recognized as indications of adult asthma.

Doctors warn that if symptoms go undetected and untreated, the condition could cause a loss of lung function .

But once diagnosed, adult asthma can be treated with prescription medication, allowing patients to live full, active lives.