Asthma, which means “to breathe hard” (in Greek), is a disease of the lungs. There are different asthma types. Here is some useful information about their various types and its causes. However let us first understand what asthma does to our lungs.
How Does Asthma Affect Your Lungs?
The air that we breathe passes through our nostrils, windpipe and the bronchi tube. It finally reaches our lungs, where the blood cells pick up oxygen from this air. The carbon dioxide is then pumped out. This function of breathing in and out gets affected due to asthma. The patient cannot breathe freely, since the airway through which the air passes, becomes narrow. At times, the airway gets inflamed, if the asthma attack is due to cold (mucus). Restricted air flow, would mean insufficient oxygen for our blood cells and a feeling of breathlessness. The sufferer feels tightness in the chest and wheezing. While, this is a general overview about asthma, there are different asthma types which are explained below:
Types Of Asthma
• Common allergic asthma – This is the most common type, where the victim is allergic to certain substances known as “allergens”. Almost 90% of asthma attacks are due to allergies. Does, dusting and cleaning make you sneeze? Or do you sneeze while gardening? These are all signs of allergic asthma. There are several allergens that can trigger an asthma attack. Some common allergens are dust mites, smoke, moth, pollen, wood dust, strong chemical, strong odors (perfumes), pet dander, animal hair, weather conditions, smell of fuel or gas and food items.
• Exercise induced asthma – This asthma type is not so common and affects around 10% of the population. Have you ever noticed extreme breathlessness while climbing stairs? This could be a sign of exercise induced asthma. Such people find it very difficult to exercise. They might experience constant coughing, sneezing and shortness of breathe while exercising.
• Industrial Asthma – Asthma that is caused due to industrial products/waste is known as industrial or occupational asthma. Almost 10 to 15% of asthma cases are of this type. Such patients feel better when they are away from work for a long period. The breathing of certain chemicals, product wastes, fumes, wood dust etc cause this kind of asthma.
• Psychological asthma – This is an emotional asthma type, where the problem is deep rooted. It signifies a need for parental love and support. It can be triggered due to stress at work place or in personal life.
Whatever be the type of asthma, it can be cured but cannot be treated completely. To keep the disease in control, it is advisable to avoid triggers/irritants. Only when you know the different types of asthma, will you be able to prevent it. The adage - “Prevention is better than cure”, is aptly applicable in asthma cases. With little care and awareness about the various asthma types, you can prevent an episode completely.