What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the bronchial tubes or airways, which carry air to and from the lungs. Often referred to as bronchial hyperactivity (BHR), asthma does not affect the lung tissue or air sacs. The inside walls of an asthmatic’s bronchial tubes become inflamed and hypersensitive to external allergens. The bronchial tubes narrow, thus restricting the air flow amount. Those who suffer from asthma can control the disease, but can never cure it. The cause is unknown to this day, but many doctors have noted a strong link between asthma and atopy, the hereditary presence of antibodies associated with allergic reactions.
Asthma most often appears in early childhood. Adult-onset asthma is often seen in middle-aged women, the result of a non-allergic respiratory tract infection. The factors that trigger asthma symptoms are varied and differ from individual to individual. Common triggers include: environmental variables (weather, pollen, cockroach droppings); occupational irritants (vapors, fumes, gases); certain medications (beta-blockers, aspirin, ibuprofen); and emotional factors (stress, anxiety, depression). Asthma can also occur after performing physical activities in cold, dry weather conditions. This type of asthma is referred to as exercise-induced asthma. While none of these factors cause asthma, each adds fuel to the already flaming bronchial tubes.
People have speculated over just what is asthma for thousands of years. The word “asthma” was derived from the Greek word “aazein,” meaning to exhale with an open mouth or to pant. The term appeared in The Iliad denoting a short-drawn breath, and was included in a medical text written by Hippocrates around 400 B.C. Ancient Greeks thought asthma was caused by internal imbalances and could be cured by inhaling the fumes from an herb mixture that was heated on a brick. Moses Maimonides, a 12th century rabbi, philosopher and physician also had a simple cure for asthma symptoms – chicken soup. Over the years, medical professionals and scientists have learned that slurping a bowl of hot soup is not enough; asthma is a serous disease that must be monitored by the careful notation of signs and symptoms, controlled by medicine administered through asthma inhalers and managed by eradicating allergens with a HEPA vacuum cleaner.
Asthma Attack
The severity of this chronic disease can be seen when a person suffers an asthma attack or asthma episode. An asthma attack happens when symptoms become worse than usual. The already restricted bronchial tubes are further narrowed by the tightening of muscles and the buildup of mucus. The body reacts to an asthma attack much the same way it would with an allergic reaction; sensing an “invader” in the system the airways use two main lines of defense – barricade and expel. A thick layer of mucus covers the vulnerable tissue to ensure the invader cannot get through, and the airway muscles twitch and tighten in an attempt to toss out the trespasser. These defensive plays can create an even worse scenario for the person having an asthma attack – they can result in death. In the United States, there are five thousand fatalities each year due to asthma attacks. The bronchial tubes constrict so severely that restorative oxygen cannot pass to vital organs. For this reason, watching for early warning signs and symptoms of asthma is extremely important.