Asthma Attacks

Asthma attacks occur when the bronchi and bronchioles become inflamed, which reduces the space in which air travels through the lungs. This causes the asthmatic to work harder at moving air in and out of his or her lungs.

Asthma attacks usually begin with a dry cough and mild chest heaviness. As an attack grows, wheezing develops and increases in pitch; breathing becomes more difficult and coughing produces thick, stringy mucus. As the airway irritation prevents some of the oxygen-rich air from reaching the alveoli in the lungs, the cells of the body start burning oxygen at a higher rate, which then increases the body's demand for oxygen.

The frequency of asthma attacks varies considerably among asthma suffers. Some people have daily attacks, while others can go months or even years without having an attack.

Narrowing of Airways In Asthma

People with asthma have extra responsive or hyper-responsive airways. Their airways react by contracting or obstructing when they become irritated. This makes it difficult for them to move air in and out of their lungs.

This narrowing or obstruction is caused by:

• Airway inflammation (the airways in the lungs become red, swollen and narrow)
• Broncho-constriction (the muscles encircling the airways tighten or go into spasm)

Airway Inflammation

If a normal airway has been exposed to certain stimulus (i.e. inhaled allergen like grass pollen), it becomes inflamed, swollen and plugged with mucus. This makes the airway opening smaller and more difficult for air to get through. It's easy to see why children, who have small airways to begin with, would have difficulty breathing if this happens.

Broncho-Constriction

If the opening of a typical airway is exposed to certain stimuli (such as cold air or enthusiastic exercise), the muscle fibres surrounding the airway contract thus making the airway opening even smaller. This makes breathing for the sufferer much more difficult.

 At A Glance

• Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways (bronchial tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by difficulty in breathing.
• Asthma attacks occur when the bronchi and bronchioles become inflamed, which reduces the space in which air travels through the lungs.
• If a normal airway has been exposed to certain stimulus (i.e. inhaled allergen like grass pollen), it becomes inflamed, swollen and plugged with mucus