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Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system that leads to a wide variety of breathing issues such as shortness of breath or wheezing. As it is a chronic disease, it is long-term and hence needs to be treated lifelong. It causes inflammation inside the lungs, thus restricting the air supply leading to difficulty in breathing. In this article, we will have a look at the symptoms of asthma, its types, causes, and diagnosis.
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Keyterms: Respiratory system, Lungs, Bronchial tubes, Inflation, Swelling, Allergen, Virus, Breathing problem, Sternum
What is Asthma?
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Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes deformities in the airways of our lungs, also known as bronchial tubes or bronchioles. These bronchial tubes are responsible for allowing the air to pass through the lungs. It results in inflation and swelling in the airways, which leads to difficulty in breathing. Some of the factors that can trigger asthma are viruses, emotional stress, and exposure to an irritant or an allergen.
Types of Asthma
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There are various types of asthma. They are:
- Allergic Asthma
- Bronchial asthma
- Exercise-Induced Asthma
- Nocturnal Asthma
- Occupational Asthma
- Steroid-Resistant Asthma
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Symptoms of Asthma
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The symptoms of asthma are generally mild in nature. However, when they are neglected, they can quickly transform into an asthma attack leading to severe ones which become life-threatening for a person. Some of them are as follows:
- Difficulty in breathing and talking
- A feeling of tightness/pressure on the chest or the sternum
- Wheezing
- Rapid breathing
- Persistent coughing
- Bluish nails and lips
- Fainting
- Pale or sweaty face
Causes of Asthma
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Various factors can trigger asthma leading to severe attacks. These factors or triggers may vary from one person to another. However, one common factor is the narrowing of airways due to swelling and filling of mucus which causes inflammation and breathing issues. Though the exact cause of asthma still remains unknown, a variety of environmental factors trigger it. Some of them are:
- Respiratory infections in the airways of the lungs are caused by the common flu or a cold which leads to inflammation of bronchioles and release of mucus.
- Dust mites and particles of dust that block the airways of the lungs.
- Pollution in the environment
- Pet Dander
- Industrial or Vehicular Exhaust
- Allergies to medication
- Sinusitis
- Smoking
- Pollen
One can also inherit asthma through the genes of their parents. Smoking during the time of pregnancy increases the risk for the infant to acquire asthma.
Also Read: Breathing and Exchange of Gases Important Question
Diagnosis
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There are various tests that make the diagnosis of asthma disease very easy. Some of the common tests that detect the symptoms of an asthma trigger are:
- Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test
Inside of our lungs, nitric acid is produced. This test is performed when a person exhales in a hand-held machine. The machine then calculates the amount of nitric acid that is present in the breath of the person. This helps in indicating the level of inflammation in the lungs.
- Spirometry
It is a test of the functioning of the lung. The test comprises a machine in which a person is supposed to blow out the air from their lungs. The test is performed to determine the obstruction level in the airway of the lungs. The machine used is known as a spirometer.
- Challenge Tests
When other tests fail to diagnose asthma, challenge tests are used. They consist of 2 types of agents, methacholine and mannitol. When these agents are inhaled by a person in the form of a dry powder or aerosols. During the test, if the lung function drops, the person is diagnosed to be positive for asthma.
Other procedures that are used for diagnosis are:
- Allergy tests to find out the exact triggers of the attack.
- General physical examinations to determine the respiratory system’s functioning.
- X-rays of the chest.
- Various other tests to check lung function
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Treatment
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Asthma is a chronic disease. Therefore, it has no permanent cure till date. However, a person can take some preventions and control the disease by avoiding the factors and triggers that lead to severe asthma attacks. The treatment of the disease depends on the severity of the symptoms and varies with the age of a person. Corticosteroids, quick-relief inhalers, nebulizers, and various pills are used to control the inflammation and treat the problems related to breathing and coughing.
Things to Remember
- Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system that leads to a wide variety of breathing issues such as shortness of breath or wheezing.
- The bronchial tubes are responsible for allowing the air to pass through the lungs.
- Primarily, children get affected by asthma. As per the statistics, the prevalence of asthma in children is 9.4% as compared to being 7.7% in adults.
- Asthma is worsened by the condition of the weather. For instance, extremely wet or extremely dry weather can causes a serious asthma attack.
- Some of the factors that can trigger asthma are viruses, emotional stress, and exposure to an irritant or an allergen.
- Wheezing, Rapid breathing, bluish nails and lips, and pale face are some of the symptoms of asthma attacks.
- Respiratory infections in the airways of the lungs can cause inflammation and hence trigger asthma.
- Dust mites and particles of dust might block the airways of the lungs.
- There are various tests that make the diagnosis of asthma disease very easy such as the exhaled nitric acid test or spirometric test.
- Some types of asthma are allergic asthma, exercise-induced asthma, bronchial asthma, and many others.
Also Read: Difference between glottis and epiglottis
Previous Year Questions
- About 1000 ml of air is always known to remain inside human lungs. It is described as ______[KCET 2006]
- According to Boyle's law, the product of pressure and volume is a constant. Hence,...[KCET 2010]
- Match the items listed under Column-I with those given under Column-II; choose the appropriate option from the given choices.….[KCET 2014]
- During the transportation gases, to maintain the ionic balance chloride ions shifts from...[KCET 2013]
- Which part of human brain controls the breathing movements ?...[KCET 2005]
- The respiratory rhythm centre is present in the...[KEAM]
- When percentage saturation of haemoglobin with O2 is plotted against pO2, the curve obtained is..[KEAM]
- When concentration of carbon dioxide increases in blood, respiration becomes….[JIPMER 2014]
- Between breaths, the intrapleural pressure is approximately ___ mmHg less than atmospheric pressure....[JIPMER 2012]
- Carbonic anhydrase is found in...[JIPMER 2010]
- During expiration the diaphragm becomes..[JIPMER 2016]
- During inspiration, the diaphragm..[JIPMER 2009]
- Lack of pulmonary surfactant produces...[AMUEEE 2009]
- In which disease, due to flattening of tracheal vessels, alveoli are deprived of oxygen ?...[GUJCET 2007]
- Which of the following increases area of thoracic cavity during inhalation ?...[GUJCET 2009]
- Chloride shift is called….[COMEDK UGET 2009]
- The left lung of human is divided into...[CUCET 2011]
- Vital capacity, the maximum volume of air a person can exhale after maximum inhalation is measured with...[CUCET 2010]
- Wind pipe in man arises from...[COMEDK UGET 2009]
- Membrane separating air in pulmonary alveoli from blood capillaries is...
Sample Questions
,Ques. What is asthma? (3 marks)
Ans. Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes deformities in the airways of our lungs, also known as bronchial tubes or bronchioles. It leads to a wide variety of breathing issues such as shortness of breath or wheezing. The bronchial tubes that get blocked when asthma is triggered are mainly responsible for allowing the air to pass through the lungs. As it is a chronic disease, it is long-term and hence needs to be treated lifelong. It results in inflation and swelling in the airways, thus restricting the air supply leading to difficulty in breathing.
,Ques. How does asthma effect an individual? (3 marks)
Ans. Asthma, when triggered, can lead to a constriction in the lung airways which can cause inflammation, leading to tightness in the chest, the feeling of being out-of-breath, wheezing, and continuous coughing. The severity of the symptoms and the triggers of the disease may vary from person to person and depending on many factors it might go from mild to severe or even life-threatening.
,Ques. How can asthma be cured? (2 marks)
Ans. Asthma is a non-curable disease. However, one can certainly control the symptoms and thus prevent severe asthma attacks. An asthma action plan developed with appropriate consultation with the doctor can help one manage the symptoms and effects of asthma.
,Ques. Should a person with asthma engage in physical activities? (2 marks)
Ans. Many people with asthma do engage in physical activities such as running and exercising. However, one should consult the doctor before performing or engaging in such strenuous activities. If a person starts to feel shortness of breath, constriction in the chest, and difficulty in breathing while performing the physical activity, they must immediately stop and seek medical attention.
,Ques. What exactly is an asthma attack? (5 marks)
Ans. When the symptoms of asthma get severe after being triggered by some factors, it might result in a spectrum of breathing issues. Engaging in sports and intense physical activities, changes in weather, pollution, exposure to dust, or medications and allergies can trigger an asthma attack.
An asthma attack basically refers to the constriction and narrowing of the muscles of the lungs. The lining of the airway inflates and leads to inflammation which also causes the release of a high amount of mucus in the body. A consistent cough, wheezing, and tightness in the chest and the neck area is the sign of an asthma attack. A person undergoing an asthma attack can face speaking issues, undergo a high level of sweating, and might start to feel panicky. A severe asthma attack can be dangerous to the life of a person. This is why it is necessary to keep asthma in check to prevent life-threatening situations.
,Ques. Is asthma a childhood condition? (2 marks)
Ans. Although it is widely believed that asthma is a disease that only develops in childhood, it can actually develop in an individual at any stage of life. At times, asthma might also be hereditary if one has a family history of people with this condition.
,Ques. How do asthma inhalers help with the condition? (3 marks)
Ans. Asthma primarily can be controlled through inhalers which are of two types: preventers and relievers.
A preventer is effective as it controls the inflammation and swelling in the lung airways. Thus, it prevents asthma attacks by managing the symptoms before it becomes severe.
A reliever provides an individual with a kind of drug that leads to the relaxation of the muscles around the lungs which leads to the opening of the airways. They do not treat the inflammation which is the underlying cause of the condition. For that, preventers must be consumed regularly.
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