What is Asthma?

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease often linked to allergies, heredity, environment & weight, that results in increased airway inflammation resulting in recurring attacks of wheezing, coughing, chest constriction & labored breathing.

Components

One of the main components of asthma, airway inflammation, is caused by the airways in the lungs being overly sensitive to certain triggers. These triggers will vary from person to person and time to time.

Symptoms

Many people who are newly diagnosed want to know what the symptoms of asthma are. Asthma symptoms will vary from person to person, but typically involve the following.

Coughing
Wheezing
Shortness of Breath
Tightness in Chest
How long these symptoms last and how severe these symptoms are will vary from time to time for asthma suffers.


One of the other most common questions about asthma is what causes it. The answer to that is that we don't yet know what causes asthma.

Some studies have suggested that there may be a link between asthma and the hereditary presence of antibodies that are associated with allergic reactions. Another recent study has also linked asthma in children with obesity.

The link to obesity suggests that as weight increases it might lead to inflammation in the airways, which is one of the main factors in asthma. The increased weight on the lungs is also potentially linked to increased airway responsiveness.

Airway responsiveness is the way the airways respond to various triggers resulting in inflammation. Increased airway responsiveness is one of the components in asthma as well.

Common Triggers

Some other factors and triggers that can cause an asthma attack are as follows.

Dust
Animal Dander
Pollen
An Infection
Breathing Cold Air
Exertion
Reactions to Certain Medications
Workplace Chemicals
Cigarette Smoke