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What Is Asthma?
Asthma (Az-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways.
The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your
lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways
are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun)
makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react
strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating.
When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows
through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing
(a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness,
and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early
morning.
Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can
control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms
and can live active lives.
When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is
called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack,
muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways
narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases,
and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells
in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This
extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make
it harder to breathe.
Asthma attacks are not all the same—some are worse
than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close
so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This
condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe
asthma attacks.
So, if you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly.
You will need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms
and how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines
to keep your asthma under control.
Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your
life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor
to learn what to do, staying away from things that bother
your airways, taking medicines as directed by your doctor,
and monitoring your asthma so that you can respond quickly
to signs of an attack. By controlling your asthma every day,
you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities.
If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to
have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep
you from doing things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading
causes of children missing school.
What Causes Asthma?
It is not clear exactly what makes the airways of people
with asthma inflamed in the first place. Your inflamed airways
may be due to a combination of things. We know that if other
people in your family have asthma, you are more likely to
develop it. New research suggests that being exposed to things
like tobacco smoke, infections, and some allergens early
in your life may increase your chances of developing asthma.
What Causes Asthma Symptoms and Attacks?
There are things in the environment that bring on your asthma
symptoms and lead to asthma attacks. Some of the more common
things include exercise, allergens, irritants, and viral
infections. Some people have asthma only when they exercise
or have a viral infection.
The list below gives some examples of things that can bring
on asthma symptoms.
Allergens
- Animal dander (from the skin, hair, or feathers of animals)
- Dust mites (contained in house dust)
- Cockroaches
- Pollen from trees and grass
- Mold (indoor and outdoor)
Irritants
- Cigarette smoke
- Air pollution
- Cold air or changes in weather
- Strong odors from painting or cooking
- Scented products
- Strong emotional expression (including crying or laughing
hard) and stress
Others
- Medicines such as aspirin and beta-blockers
- Sulfites in food (dried fruit) or beverages (wine)
- A condition called gastroesophageal (GAS-tro-e-sof-o-JEE-al)
reflux disease that causes heartburn and can worsen asthma
symptoms, especially at night
- Irritants or allergens that you may be exposed to at
your work, such as special chemicals or dusts
- Infections
This is not a complete list of all the things that can bring
on asthma symptoms. People can have trouble with one or more
of these. It is important for you to learn which ones are
problems for you. Your doctor can help you identify which
things affect your asthma and ways to avoid them.
Who Is At Risk for Asthma?
In the United States, about 20 million people have been
diagnosed with asthma; nearly 9 million of them are children.
Asthma is closely linked to allergies. Most, but not all,
people with asthma have allergies. Children with a family
history of allergy and asthma are more likely to have asthma.
Although asthma affects people of all ages, it most often
starts in childhood. More boys have asthma than girls, but
in adulthood, more women have asthma than men.
Although asthma affects people of all races, African Americans
are more likely than Caucasians to be hospitalized for asthma
attacks and to die from asthma.
To read the rest of this excellent article from the National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, please click here: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhoIsAtRisk.html
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