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Asthma & more ::
asthma types
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What you should know about asthma types and the causes behind them
Read on for a look at asthma types from various angles. Child-onset asthma For genetic reasons, many children are sensitive to various allergens in the environment. Such children are more likely than others to develop asthma symptoms. The allergens they are sensitive to can include animal proteins, house dust mites, fungi, pollen and any of a long list of substances. When these children come into contact with one or more of these allergens, their bodies respond by producing an antibody to destroy these substances. As a result, the cells in their airways become sensitive to those specific materials. When exposure to those substances continues, the child may develop typical asthma symptoms. By some estimates, this kind of response is present in as much as one third of the population. If wheezing is also present when the child has a viral infection, and if the child or a close relative has allergy, it may mean that asthma is present and can possibly continue throughout childhood. Adult-onset asthma It is true that in many cases, asthma first makes its appearance during childhood or adolescence. But adult-onset asthma is also among the common asthma types. In fact, asthma can develop at practically any age and due to a wide variety of causes. As with children, allergens are often a cause for asthma in adults. But there are asthmatic adults who are not allergic to any of the commonly known allergens. Adult asthma may be triggered by nasal polyps, for instance. Sinusitis is another common trigger. Some adults have asthma set off my sensitivity to aspirin and other similar medication. Fine wood dust, certain kids of plastics and even metals can act as triggers for asthma attacks in adults. Chemical contamination of the atmosphere by industrial activity (even at low levels and within legally acceptable limits) can cause asthma too. Both the above asthma types are brought on by allergic reactions, in most cases. But there are also other causes for asthma. Exercise-induced asthma Asthma attacks can be brought on solely by exercise. Many people exhibit the disease only when they exert themselves physically. This is also one of the common asthma types. This type of asthma is not yet well understood. It is known that this usually occurs during vigorous aerobic exercise that puts a greater than normal demand for oxygen. To meet this demand, it may be necessary to breathe through the mouth in addition to breathing through the nose. Air inhaled through the mouth is not warmed and humidified like the air taken in through the nose. This results in higher blood flow to the airways and an increase in the fluid content in the airways. This leads to obstruction of the air passages and brings on the symptoms of asthma. This asthma is different from other types that are generally brought on by inflammatory reactions. Some people are allergic as well as susceptible to exercise-induced asthma. For such people, exercising in a high-allergen environment can produce severe attacks and can even be fatal. In many patients, there is a so-called 'refractory period' after an attack is over. During this period which may be approximately an hour long, physical exertion may not produce any attack at all, or induce only mild symptoms. There are athletes who take advantage of this refractory period to compete. They induce an asthma attack by warming up prior to the competition and then go into competition during the refractory phase. Those are some of the most common asthma types. Browse through the other pages on this site for more information.
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