What is Asthma ?

Asthma is a common lung disease. It often runs in families and statistically affects more women than men, but the number of men suffering from asthma is increasing year on year. It is caused when the small tubes in the airways of the lungs, known as the bronchi, become inflamed and swollen. The bronchi on people with asthma are more easily irritated by triggers than bronchi on people without the illness. The triggers could be cold air, allergies, smoking or colds and chest infections.

When the bronchi become irritated and become inflamed, the production of mucus in the tubes also increases. This makes breathing difficult and can lead to coughing, a tightness in the chest area and the characteristic asthmatic wheezing and shortness of breath. A severe asthma attack is prolonged, can often take up to 48 hours to develop and may require hospital treatment. The symptoms will worsen and the breath output will decrease, the pulse rate will increase, the wheezing will get worse and the patient may become restless. In addition, the lips and nails may become a little blue colored and talking may become harder.

Asthma can usually be managed by a combination of medications and lifestyle changes, but some complications can arise from it. It is recommended that asthma patients receive a vaccination against influenza as other illnesses can make asthma worse. Pneumonia also has a higher incidence rate among asthma sufferers than non sufferers, and asthma can occasionally cause the collapse of part or all of a lung, lead to an unresponsive asthma attack or respiratory failure. All of these complications can be treated if hospital attention is sought quick enough. The risk of complications is greater in older people and very young children.

There is no single known cause of asthma. Genetic factors do seem to play some part as do diet and the environment in which people live. Smoking also increases the likelihood of any respiratory disease and can certainly make asthma worse. If someone has been exposed to smoke as a child (even second hand smoke) or if their mother smoked whilst pregnant then this also seems to increase their chances of having asthma. If a person has allergies or other allergic conditions such as eczema then they are also more likely to have asthma.

Whilst there is no known cause, the treatments available now are highly effective and provided asthma is managed properly sufferers can lead full, active lives without complications.

Copyright 2009