Why might asthma symptoms vary between individuals?

Asthma symptoms can vary between individuals primarily due to the presence of unique environmental triggers. Each person has different sensitivities and exposure levels to allergens and irritants in their surroundings, such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander, tobacco smoke, or pollution. These distinct environmental factors can provoke asthma symptoms or exacerbations in different individuals, making their experiences with the condition unique.

In contrast, while medication adherence can certainly influence symptom control, it does not account for the intrinsic variability seen in how asthma manifests among different people. Likewise, varying levels of physical activity can affect asthma symptoms, but they are not the primary reason for the differing asthma experiences. Lastly, stating that asthma is only caused by allergens oversimplifies the disease, as asthma can also be influenced by non-allergic triggers like exercise, respiratory infections, and stress, which further contributes to the individual variability in symptoms.