The Vice-like Grip of Asthma – Part 1

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Asthma traumatises 34 million Americans and 300 million people worldwide, of which women and children form a sizeable group (Source: American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology). In America alone, approximately 4000 deaths per year are on account of this chronic and incurable respiratory condition. The figures for missed school days (children) and missed work days (adults) costing billions of dollars is equally staggering. This article will run in three parts answering questions on what typically happens during an asthma episode, what the causes and triggers are along with diagnosis and the latest research findings, available treatment options and lifestyle caveats for those who are victim to the vice-like grip of asthma.

What is asthma characterised by?
In it’s steady state, asthma symptoms include shortness of breath, mild to moderate chest tightness and occasionally night-time or morning cough. When these symptoms worsen asthma is said to have entered it’s acute state and an attack becomes imminent. During exacerbation, symptoms include rapid breathing (dyspnea), moderate to severe tightness of chest and neck (retractions), coughing (sometimes with sputum), wheezing, a rapid heart rate (tachycardia), prolonged exhalation and strident sounds from the lungs, difficulty conversing, and numb limbs. The oxygen deprivation may turn the victim blue (the nails and lips), face pale, panic-ridden and even unconscious.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Source: Retrieved March 11, 2009) has defined asthma as a chronic disorder of the airways characterised by variable and recurring symptoms, airflow obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness (bronchospasm) and underlying inflammation.

What exactly happens inside an asthmatic’s body during an asthma attack?
The bronchi (or small tubes that transport air to and from lungs) over-react to some stimuli (see section on causes of asthma) and set-off a chain of events. Theses stimuli in a non-asthmatic person are encountered by the immune system and ignored but in the case of an asthma patient, the trigger irritates the bronchi walls where the tissues and muscles start to spasm as a response. Soon afterward, the cells and tissues begin to swell/inflame leading to narrowing of the air tubes allowing lesser oxygen to reach the lungs. This gives a feeling of chest-tightness in many patients. The cells in the bronchi wall then start to produce excessive mucous (also known as phlegm) as a hyper immune response to encountering the trigger which causes further narrowing and obstruction in the bronchi. The production of phlegm in a restricted air passage causes coughing and further breathlessness. Usually, this obstruction is reversible within an hour or two, but in severe cases it requires immediate hospitalisation due to possible irreversibility or late reversibility (up to 12 hours for normalisation of the air ducts in the lung) and if gone untreated in it’s acute/exacerbation state can result in fatality.

Mamta Singh is a published author (Migraines for the Informed Woman – Tips from a Sufferer. Publisher: Rupa & Co.), seasoned business, creative and academic writer.
She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. Mamta runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business, and is presently training as a Holistic Healing Therapist from the U.K. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation.
Link: http://www.migrainingjenny.wordpress.com and http://www.footstrike.wordpress.com

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.