What is asthma, and what causes it?

Question

Lydia Antoine · Accepted Answer

Asthma is a long term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. Causes for asthma may be a combination of complex and incompletely understood environmental and genetic interactions.

In addition to episodic wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, it is characterized by bronchospasm and is linked to indoor allergen exposure, such as dust mites, molds, and pieces of animal fur or feather. Variable and recurrent symptoms may also occur. Environmental factors include exposure to allergens and air pollution; medications such as beta blockers and aspirin are frequently thought to be potential triggers. By avoiding triggers like allergens and irritants and by using inhaled corticosteroids, asthma symptoms can be avoided. Asthma onset before the age of 12 is more likely to be genetic in nature, whereas onset after that age is thought to be environmental in nature.

Jeremiah Alexander · Answer

Asthma is a respiratory tract disease.

Asthma attacks the bronchus and bronchioles in the lungs, causing contraction, swelling, and inflammation of them and affecting breathing. It also causes the respiratory tract to narrow, causing inflammation. The narrowing of the trachea can cause wheezing and dyspnea. Its root causes are:

Eva Anselmo · Answer

undefined Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including allergies, respiratory infections, air pollution, tobacco smoke, and certain occupational exposures.