Asthma Overview

Asthma is a lung condition in which a person has difficulty breathing. The breathing difficulty is because of an inflammation of the air passages causing a temporary narrowing of the airways that transport air from the nose and mouth to the lungs.

It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from asthma. It is the most common chronic condition found in children. It is more commonly found in male children than female even though it is more prevalent in female adults than male adults. Asthma is genetic, which means that if one parent suffers from asthma there is a one in three chance that their child will also have asthma. If both parents suffer from asthma the odds increase to seven in ten chances that the child will suffer from asthma.

People with asthma have extra sensitive airways that become red, swollen, and narrow making it difficult for the air to move in and out. This narrowing of the airways causes the following symptoms:

• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath

Asthma is triggered by allergens or irritants inhaled into the lungs causing them to become inflamed or constricted. There is no cure for asthma, but with proper treatment it can be managed.