• Asthma. Though asthma is not always triggered by allergies, it is related to them. Most adults with asthma have an allergy-related condition. During an asthma attack the lining of the airways becomes swollen or inflamed and the cells that line the airways produce more mucus, which is thicker than normal. Symptoms include frequent cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness, pain, or pressure.