Asthma Basics

Asthma is a chronic lung disease. Researchers still do not completely understand what causes asthma. But they do know that asthma is more likely if other family members have asthma or allergies. And more children than adults have asthma.

Asthma Symptoms

Common asthma symptoms include:

• Coughing, especially at night.
• Wheezing, or hearing a scratchy sound when breathing.
• Feeling "short of breath," especially during active play or exercise.
• Feeling a tightness in the chest.

Each asthma case is different, and symptoms often change over time. Symptoms can be mild or severe, with asthma attacks occurring everyday or only once a month or several times a year.

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What is an Asthma Attack?

People who have asthma suffer from repeated asthma attacks, or flare ups, also sometimes called episodes. During an attack, breathing can be extremely difficult, making it hard to get enough oxygen. Wheezing and coughing during an attack can make it impossible to exercise or to sleep.

The next diagram shows what happens in the lungs during an asthma attack.

Normally, the muscles surrounding the tubes and air sacs are relaxed and the interior linings are smooth. Air can flow easily into the lungs, and oxygen moves from the air sacs into the blood stream.

But during an asthma attack, the muscles tighten, making the tubes narrow and constricted. The lining can become swollen and sticky with mucus. Less air can flow into the lungs, and less oxygen enters the bloodstream.

 

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Asthma Triggers

What causes an asthma attack? Normally, our immune system helps us fight disease, for example, by attacking the viruses that cause colds. But during an asthma attack, the immune system overreacts to a trigger.

A trigger can be something in the environment that is harsh and irritating to the lungs, something in the food or air that happens to cause an allergic reaction, or a related physical condition that affects the lungs.

Examples of common triggers include:

• Environmental Triggers: Cigarette smoke, smog, paint, spray cleansers, strong chemical odors, mold, furry animals, or pests, such as cockroaches and dust mites.
• Physical Triggers: Colds or the flu, exercise or stress. Even strong emotions, such as crying and laughing, can be triggers.

No two people with asthma are the same. Contact with a dog might trigger an asthma attack for one child. Another child might have attacks only when exercising.

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The Good News

Although there is no cure for asthma, the disease can be controlled. The main ways to reduce or eliminate asthma symptoms are:

• Avoid Triggers: Simply changing the environment can eliminate the cause of many asthma attacks. For example, making sure no one smokes in the home can be a big help for a child with asthma.

• Use Preventive Medication: There are both oral and inhaled medications that can be used every day to prevent lung inflammation and stop attacks from occurring.
• Take Rescue Medication: If an attack does occur, it's possible to reduce the severity of the attack by recognizing the warning signs and taking rescue medication during the early stages of the attack.

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Photography by Deno J. Andrews