Asthma

Yilbert Fernandez

What causes Asthma?

    The exact cause of Asthma is still unknown but researchers know its from a variety of factors, like family genes and environment. If asthma runs in the family, exposure to airborne allergens and irritants can make airways reactive to the air you breath.

How is it Transmitted? 

Asthma is transmitted by genes, but that doesn’t mean you get asthma the day your born you can live your entire life without having any asthma symptoms, since asthma can be triggered by environmental factors such as allergies, Cockroaches, pet dander, smoke and mold.

Is it communicable?No asthma is not communicable its only inherited from a parent.  Who gets it?Anyone with the gene is vulnerable,children and adults any age can have asthma. Although more likely to start during childhood. During childhood boys are more likely to have asthma then girls but during adulthood women are more likely to have asthma then men.

Signs and symptoms?Some symptoms of asthma are coughing, usually its worst is during night time and morning time. A loud wheezing when breathing, chest tightens up and a squeezing feeling, and shortness of breath. Symptoms vary from person to person and can occur at anytime, that is why asthma can be very deadly asthma attacks can happen at anytime. Somethings that make symptoms occur are molds,pollens,dust,certain medicines, Viral respiratory infections, and even exercise.

How is it detected?Doctors will do a regular check up and ask many questions, some questions they will ask are whether you cough a lot especially at night time. If breathing becomes heavy and hard after physical activity. They will also ask if any family members have asthma, this is a big question since asthma is transmitted by genes and if a family member has asthma the chances of you having asthma increase by a significant amount. After the many questions asked by doctors they will give you a lung function test which is called spirometer. Spirometer measures the amount of air you can exhale.

Can you get it again or do you become immune?

Asthma is a lifetime disease that will never fully go away, although during teen years the disease may subside. Although the asthma symptoms subside doctors tell patient to still have their inhalers since they could have an asthma attack out of no where.  How is the body affected and what parts of the body are affected?

Asthma affects airway inflammation, bronchial restriction, and irregular airway obstruction.Bronchial restriction happens when the muscles in the airways constrict and tighten around your bronchial tubes. Mucus that is secreted by the reaction can obstruct your airway and make it increasingly difficult to breathe effectively.Asthma affects the lungs and the wind pipes, sometimes stomach muscles and the diaphragm become enlarge because during attacks these muscles usually force oxygen in and out of lungs.