Asthma

Overview

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Asthma Triggers

Asthma is a common lung disease that affects 3 to 5 percent of adults and 7 to 10 percent of children. Half of the people with asthma develop it before age 10 and most develop it before age 30. The rate of asthma has increased by 60 percent since 1979 among all ages, races, and gender groups.

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lining of the airways in the lungs (bronchioles). The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and swollen and produces extra mucus. Asthma has three important components:

• obstruction or narrowing of the bronchial tubes, which can vary from hour to hour or day to day
• "twitchiness" of the bronchial tubes to irritants (substances that irritate the skin or airways) or allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction)
• inflammation (an irritation triggered by certain white blood cells, involving swelling and mucus production) of the bronchial tubes

Episodes of asthma (called attacks) occur when the airway narrows, making it difficult to breathe. During an asthma attack, symptoms may range from mild wheezing (whistling or hissing sound as you breathe) to severe obstruction of the airways, potentially causing a life-threatening inability to breathe. Untreated, asthma can cause hospitalization, disability, and even death. Even mild asthma can interfere with normal daily activities such as exercise, housework, sleep, school, and work. Although asthma can be very serious, there are many ways to prevent and control symptoms.

The underlying cause of asthma is not known. However, factors in the environment (both indoors and outdoors), called triggers, can make asthma symptoms worse and cause asthma attacks in people who have asthma.

Asthma Triggers
Known asthma triggers include:

• allergens:

pollen
mold
animal dander (fine scales from skin, hair, or feathers)
dust mites
cockroaches
viral infections of the respiratory tract


• irritants:

  strong odors or sprays
  chemicals
  air pollutants
  changing weather conditions
  tobacco smoke or wood smoke