Asthma explained

Asthma is a long-term (chronic) disease of the airways that can make breathing difficult. The exact cause of asthma is not known, but a proper treatment plan can help each individual manage their asthma and continue leading a healthy, active life.

 
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What is asthma?

Asthma is a long-term (chronic) disease of the airways – the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.

A person with asthma has sensitive airways that narrow when exposed to certain triggers, which makes breathing difficult. This is called an asthma flare-up.

Each person with asthma has individual triggers that can lead to an asthma flare-up, but there are some common substances, like pollen, dust and smoke, that will usually irritate the airways of a person with asthma. When someone with asthma is exposed to these triggers, their airways become smaller, which limits the amount of air that can flow in and out of their lungs. This is because:

  • the layer of muscle around the airways tightens up
  • the lining of the airways becomes swollen and inflamed
  • the airways become blocked with mucus.