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Article: What is Asthma?
Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic
disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry
air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls
of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun)
makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to
things to which you are allergic or find irritating. When the
airways react, they get narrower and less air flows through to your
lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound
when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.
Asthma cannot be cured, but for most patients it can be controlled
so that you have only minimal and infrequent symptoms and you can
live an active life. So, if you have asthma, taking care of it is an
important part of your life. Controlling your asthma means staying
away from things that bother your airways and taking medicines as
directed by your doctor. By controlling your asthma every day, you
can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities. If
your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms
that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing things
you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing
school.
When you experience a worsening of your asthma symptoms, it is
called an asthma episode or attack. In an asthma attack, muscles
around the airways tighten up, making the airway openings narrower
so less air can flow through. Inflammation increases and the airways
become more swollen and narrow. Cells in the airways also make more
mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These
changes cause the symptoms of asthma and make it harder to breathe.
Asthma attacks are not all the same-some are worse than others. In a
severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough
oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency.
People can die from severe asthma attacks.
If you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will
need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms to worsen and
how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines to keep
your asthma under control. |