Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs and breathing airways. It is a chronic disease, which means it is long-term. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it is a disease that starts out most often in children. Asthma can be difficult to diagnose, especially in children younger than five years of age. One instrument used to help with the diagnosis of asthma is called a spirometer, which measures the volume of air exhaled after drawing in a deep breath. Although there is no cure for asthma, there are treatments that can help to manage the symptoms so that they are infrequent and minimal. When the symptoms of asthma become severe, it is called an asthma attack.
Mechanism
Asthma is a condition which causes the breathing airways to be swollen and sensitive. This sensitivity is especially relevant to asthma triggers, including pollen, cigarette smoke and other airborne substances. When the airways react to an asthma trigger, the muscles surrounding the airways tighten, which constricts the airways. This constriction allows for less oxygen to flow. Also, the airways can begin to produce more mucus than is normal. Mucus is a thick, sticky liquid that can coat the airways, causing additional narrowing of the breathing airways.
Symptoms
During an asthma attack, the airways become constricted. Attack symptoms are therefore generally related to breathing. These symptoms include wheezing, coughing and having difficulty breathing. Chest pain is another symptom of an asthma attack. These symptoms can be present in milder forms for people with asthma, but they become severe during an asthma attack. Symptoms should be treated when they are first noticed so that they don't become severe. In the severest form of an asthma attack, the breathing airways can become so constricted that insufficient oxygen reaches the lungs, causing death.
Other Names
An asthma attack is sometimes referred to as an episode. It can also be called an exacerbation or a flare-up. Regardless of the name, an asthma attack is the same worsening of asthma symptoms.
