There are several different types of asthma. Types of asthma vary by what induces the asthma symptoms and the symptoms that are experienced. The types of asthma are allergic asthma, cough-variant asthma, nocturnal asthma, exercise-induced asthma, and occupational asthma.

Asthma that is triggered by allergies is sometimes called allergic asthma. Allergies can cause inflammation of the lining inside the nose. This causes symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and postnasal drip. The allergen triggers a release of histamine which can produce these symptoms and others such as watery eyes. In people with allergic asthma, this type of allergic response, called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, can trigger an asthma attack.

Cough-variant asthma is a type of asthma that is characterized by a severe, persistent cough. People who have cough-variant asthma often have the most problem with the cough during exercise or with a respiratory infection. Cough-variant asthma is due to swelling and inflammation of the airways. This type of asthma is under-diagnosed since the cough gets blamed on other causes such as frequent colds or allergies.

Nocturnal or nighttime asthma causes symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and trouble breathing during the night. The sleep-wake cycle, called circadian rhythms, affect asthma. People with asthma often experience more symptoms during the night. Some factors that may contribute to nighttime asthma include sinusitis, the cooling of the airways, prolonged exposure to allergens that are present, and the reclining position. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can make nocturnal asthma worse.

Another type of asthma is exercise-induced asthma. With exercise-induced asthma, the individual experiences a narrowing of the airway during exercise. The person often has coughing or wheezing. A lot of people with other types of asthma experience symptoms while exercising, however people with exercise-induced asthma do not have asthma symptoms at other times.

Occupational asthma is asthma that is caused by triggers in the workplace. People with this type of asthma may experience symptoms on the job, but be free of symptoms on days off from work. Many people with occupational asthma have a cough and other symptoms of allergies such as watery eyes, runny nose, and eye irritation.

People who work around animals or chemicals are prone to occupational asthma. In some cases, people who handle chemicals or work around allergens in the workplace may not have the symptoms. However, they may carry the chemicals home on their clothing, hair, and skin and trigger asthma in a family member.