The list of asthma masqueraders grows, emphasizing the need for a careful analysis of the patient suffering from cough, wheezing and/or dyspnea. The present case report describes a 23-year-old patient with spastic vocal cord adduction, initially treated as bronchial asthma. Severe disruption in her arterial blood gases was present. The vocal cord adduction persisted in spite of valium anesthesia. The patient's symptoms and signs were relieved with a tracheostomy. However, the vocal cord spasm persisted.