What is asthma, pathophysiology and main types

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lungs that has no specific cause. However, people who have family members with the disease, who have allergies or who have had respiratory infections repeatedly in childhood may be more likely to develop bronchial asthma.

Shortness of breath or a feeling that the amount of air is not being sufficient to breathe is the most common symptom of asthma.

Asthma has no cure, but it can be controlled with medication for long periods. It is not contagious, that is, it is not transmitted from person to person, but the children of an asthmatic person are more likely to develop asthma at any stage of life.

Pathophysiology of asthma

The mechanism of emergence of bronchial asthma is linked to the inflammation of the internal part of the structures that carry oxygen to the lungs.

In asthma, because of a genetic predisposition and allergy, the body's defense cells cause an overreaction in the lung. In this way, when contact with any product that causes allergy, the body activates cells called lymphocytes and they release substances, the cytokines, which cause swelling in the airways and excess mucus production.

The swelling of the airways makes them narrow and makes it difficult for air to pass into the lungs, causing the sensation of shortness of breath characteristic of asthma.

Possible causes

The cause of asthma is not fully defined, but it is often a respiratory allergy, which can trigger a crisis when a person comes into contact with animals with fur, goes through a very stressful situation or enters very cold, dusty or with mold, for example.

Usually asthma is diagnosed in childhood, but it can develop at any stage of life, being more common in people who have some type of respiratory or food allergy. Read more about the causes of asthma.

Main symptoms

Asthma symptoms are generally easy to recognize and can be

• Difficulty breathing; Sensation that air does not reach the lungs; Noise when breathing; Fatigue; Tightness in the chest.

Some symptoms in babies can be different than in adults, such as having very rapid breathing and visible ribs when the baby breathes in the air, learn more about asthma symptoms at this stage of life.

How to confirm the diagnosis

Before conducting tests, to help in the diagnosis, the doctor will ask some questions that will be important for the diagnosis of asthma, for example how long the symptoms appeared and if there are any family members with asthma.

After that, some tests may be ordered to confirm the disease, such as spirometry, also known as pulmonary function test, blood tests, X-ray, tomography and allergic tests. It is important to know that the doctor does not always order all of these tests. Learn more about tests to diagnose asthma.

Types of asthma

The types of asthma are mainly related to the causes that cause the asthmatic crisis. Therefore, they can be classified into two types:

1. Allergic asthma

Allergic asthma is the most common and caused by an allergic reaction. The symptoms of this type of asthma appear after inhalation of a particle that causes the allergy, being almost always related to allergic rhinitis. See more about symptoms and treatment of allergic rhinitis.

2. Occupational asthma

Occupational asthma is one that an individual develops due to the inhalation of wood dust, grains, animal hair, smoke, or any other substance in their workplace. It has the same symptoms typical of asthma, as well as treatment, but it can be avoided and its prevention is done through the use of safety equipment, such as respiratory mask, which must be provided by the company.

How the treatment is done

Treatment consists of the use of corticosteroid and bronchodilator drugs that should be used daily, for life. The asthma medicine, popularly called "asthma inhaler", is not addictive and should be used whenever a person has difficulty breathing because it is essential to control the asthma attack.

To complement the treatment it is necessary to take some precautions, such as:

• Avoid having animals, such as dogs and cats, inside the house; Keep the house always very clean, without any dust; Avoid carpets and curtains inside the house, especially in the asthmatic's room; Not having stuffed animals, objects and blankets that accumulate dust in the room; avoid being close to people who are smoking; stay away from any type of smoke.

Asthma remedies should be prescribed by a pulmonologist and should always be used in the recommended dose. Check the names of some asthma remedies that may be indicated.

There are also vaccines that can be used when you can find out what is the agent that causes the allergy and this makes the treatment for asthma more effective. Physiotherapy also helps control asthma because breathing exercises strengthen the muscles of breathing, improving lung capacity.

Learn how to provide first aid in an asthma attack to ensure that the person continues to breathe.

Differences between asthma and pneumonia

Asthma is a chronic disease, that is, it has no cure, but it can be controlled with medication, while pneumonia is a lung infection caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi and which can be cured. People who have asthma are at increased risk of developing pneumonia. In addition, pneumonia causes fever and asthma does not.