Asthma and Allergies
The symptoms you may feel during an asthma attack are due to the inflammation of the
lungs and airways. This inflammation causes the simple act of breathing to become painful.
Not only do the airways become tighter and narrower, the walls of those airways release
extra mucus, adding additional barriers to breathing. This mucus also causes your body to cough,
a mechanism used by the body to expel the mucus rapidly. Currently, there is no explanation of
why asthma occurs or what triggers your lungs to be so sensitive.
There are many irritants that can trigger an asthmatic reaction. These are the most common:
- Airborne Allergens (pollen, mold, animal dander, and dust)
- Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever)
- Viral infections of the respiratory system
- Tobacco smoke
- Pollution
- Strong odors (paint, house cleaners, etc)
- Exercise (Note: asthmatic people can and should exercise, with care, when they are feeling well. Ask your doctor about exercise and asthma).
- Drug sensitivity (for example, to aspirin)
- Stress and emotional anxiety
But how can allergens cause asthma? Is asthma an allergy? Like many other triggers of asthma,
airborne allergens affect the
respiratory system. They can initiate an allergic reaction that can, in turn, trigger the asthma
symptoms. In this regards, the same triggers for some allergies can be important to asthma sufferes
(weather forecasts).
|