Asthma

Asthma

A respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. It is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity.

Types of asthma

Do you know the different types of asthma? Advances in our understanding of asthma have helped experts define specific types of asthma, such as exercise-induced asthma (asthma that occurs with physical exertion) and nighttime asthma (asthma that makes sleeping miserable and is quite serious). Understanding the type of asthma you have can help you seek the most effective treatment when you have an asthma attack.

Causes

Particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways, such as:

Indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander)

Outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds)

Tobacco smoke

Chemical irritants in the workplace

Air pollution

Sign n symptom

Asthma is characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes with increased production of sticky secretions inside the tubes. People with asthma experience symptoms when the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus. Common asthma symptoms include:

Coughing, especially at night

Wheezing

Shortness of breath

Chest tightness, pain, or pressure

Vaccination

Some vaccine have suggested that the increasing incidence of asthma may be due to vaccinations, primarily to whole cell pertussis vaccine. Some have hypothesized that vaccines might change the balance of immunity towards allergic responses either directly (that is, caused by the immune responses to the vaccine) or indirectly (by altering the balance of immune responses to infections in infancy).