Asthma is a condition affecting the upper respiratory tract. The name asthma is derived from Greek meaning to breathe hard. The sufferer has difficulty in breathing due to which he can experience breathlessness and cough. The condition is purely clinical and requires diagnosis by a qualified physician.
Asthma Attack
Normally, air that is taken in through the nose while breathing goes through the windpipe, bronchi, and reaches alveoli in the lungs. It is here that gaseous exchange takes place between blood cells and air laden with oxygen present inside the alveoli. Carbon dioxide gets mixed into air and this is breathed out through the nostrils. In an asthmatic patient, the air passages are blocked or narrowed such that the air flow is restricted. In some cases like common cold, the airway is inflamed with mucus, and insufficient oxygen reaches the blood cells leading to a feeling of breathlessness. There is a tightening in the chest accompanied with wheezing.
Diagnosis
This inflammatory disease of the airways cannot be predicted. The inflammation of the airways and lungs is brought about by the cumulative action of the inflammatory cells such as eosinophils, mast cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes. As a result there is excess secretion of mucus leading to breathlessness and recurrent cough. In severe cases it can lead to blockage of air passage leading to even death if left untreated.
Diagnosis of asthma usually involves identification of bronchial hyper responsiveness, eosinophilic inflammatory response, or respiratory obstructive disorders. In spite of all these indications, it is not always easy to diagnose asthma since the symptoms are not different from other respiratory diseases and also severity and frequency of asthma attack varies even within the same patient. The clinical features indicative are varied and many.
Varied Types Of Asthma
There are many types of asthma based on the trigger. Of these, the most common is allergic asthma. Patients suffering from this form of asthma are allergic to foreign substances known as allergens. Common allergens include, dust mites, pollen grains, smoke, moths, wood dist, strong odors, animal hair, weather, fuel or gas odors, and even certain food items.
A large section of asthma patients suffer from asthma induced through physical exertion or exercise. Though not as common as your allergic asthma, nevertheless there are people who complain of breathlessness, sneezing, coughing, etc. while exercising. These people have to stay away from working out.
Industrial products and waste can also induce asthma attacks. This type of asthma is known as industrial asthma or occupational asthma. The chemicals, fumes, product wastes, etc. which you come in contact at the place you work can be a trigger of your asthma attacks. Still another type is induced due to psychological reasons like need for parental love and support and is known as psychological asthma. Personal life stresses a lead to this.
All types of asthma can be controlled and treated but cannot be cured completely.