1. What causes it?
1.1. Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease caused by inflammation of the airways.
1.2. It is known to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
2. What are the symptoms?
2.1. Signs & symptoms
2.1.1. Coughing or wheezing attacks
2.1.2. Chest tightness or pain
2.1.3. Wheezing
2.1.4. Shortness of breath
3. Which body system(s) does it impact and how is it impacted?
3.1. Respiratory system
3.1.1. An asthma attack narrows the space for air to move in and out of the lungs. The muscles that wrap around your airways also can tighten, making breathing even harder.
3.1.2. The inside walls of the airways in your lungs can become inflamed and swollen. All while, membranes in your airway linings may secrete excess mucus. During an asthma attack, your narrowed airways make it harder to breathe, which may result in coughing and/or wheezing.
3.2. Nervous system
3.2.1. Sensory neurons control bronchial hyperactivity, sensory neurons in the vagal ganglia control respiratory responses such as coughing, and the nervous system modulates other asthma symptoms as well.
4. How is Asthma diagnosed?
4.1. Spirometrys
4.1.1. It measures the amount and velocity of the air during exhalation, this is an essential step for the diagnosis of asthma.
4.2. Exhaled nitric oxide
4.2.1. Measures the amount of exhaled nitric oxide, which shows the level of inflammation in the airways.
4.3. Bronchial challenge tests
4.3.1. It is performed by the controlled inhaling of a substance (methacholine or histamine) that produces this obstruction of the bronchi.
4.3.2. In order to observe the gradual decrease of the FEV1, demonstrating the bronchial hyper-responsiveness.
5. How is Asthma treated?
5.1. Quick-relief inhalers
5.1.1. Quickly open swollen airways that are limiting breathing
5.2. Allergy medication
5.2.1. Only if necessary
5.3. Control medications that are generally taken daily
5.3.1. Exclusively for long-term asthma
6. What triggers it?
6.1. Airborne allergies
6.1.1. Pollen
6.1.2. Dust mites
6.1.3. Mold spores
6.1.4. Pet dander
6.2. Air pollutants
6.2.1. Smoke
6.3. Physical activities
6.3.1. Cold air
6.3.2. Humidity
6.4. Certain medication
6.4.1. Asprin
6.4.2. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
6.4.2.1. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
6.4.2.2. naproxen sodium (Aleve)
6.5. Respiratory infections
6.5.1. The common cold