What is Asthma / Asthama?
Asthama is a condition which affects your lungs. Asthma affects the airways – the tubes carrying air in and out of the lungs. It narrows airways and so makes it difficult for a sufferer to breathe in a normal way. People with asthma have sensitive airways which become irritated in some situations.
Asthma often starts in childhood, but it can happen for the first time at any age – even in people in their 70’s or 80’s.
Asthma cannot be cured but with the help of proper treatment and care it can be controlled. When you have Asthma, you have it all the time but you do not face Asthma attacks all the time.
What is Asthma attacks or Asthama flare-up ?
Asthma attacks or flare-ups happen in airways. A person who faces Asthma attacks, his airways gets swollen and shrinks makes it difficult for air to get in and out of the lungs. Otherwise in normal circumstances, person breathes perfectly fine but in case of attacks it feels like the person is struggling to breath.
Sometimes the swollen airways produce extra mucus which blocks the airways even more.
Signs of Asthma attacks
The symptoms of asthma are
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Tight feeling in the chest
Symptoms are often worse at night.