What Is Bronchial Asthma?

Bronchial asthma, also called asthma, is a lung disease in which the airways that carry air into and out of the lungs become inflamed and narrow. People of all ages can get bronchial asthma, but it usually starts in childhood. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, of the more than 22 million people in the United States who have asthma, nearly 6 million are children. There is no cure for bronchial asthma, but its symptoms can be controlled.

Features

The airways into and out of the lungs are also called bronchial tubes. People with bronchial asthma have inflamed bronchial tubes, and when the tubes get inflamed they swell, become very sensitive and react to certain substances that are inhaled. The reaction causes the muscles around the airways to tighten and narrow, allowing less air into the lungs. The swelling sometimes worsens even more, causing the cells in the airways to produce more mucus than normal. The mucus, a thick liquid substance, may further narrow the airways.

Symptoms

Symptoms of bronchial asthma vary from one person to another and range from mild to severe. A person with asthma may experience only mild symptoms such as occasional wheezing with intermittent asthma attacks and feel fine between episodes. Others may experience wheezing and coughing all the time or display symptoms mainly at night or during exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, tightness or pain in the chest, trouble sleeping due to wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath, and a wheezing or whistling sound when exhaling. Cough may or may not produce sputum (phlegm). Symptoms are usually worsened by respiratory ailments such as the flu or a cold.

Emergency Symptoms

Bronchial asthma can be dangerous if symptoms aren't controlled. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, asthma symptoms that indicate an emergency situation include extreme difficulty breathing, a bluish color to the face and lips, sweating and a rapid pulse. Additional emergency symptoms are loss of alertness---such as confusion or severe drowsiness---during an attack and extreme anxiety brought on by shortness of breath.

Causes

What causes some people to get asthma while others don't is not fully understood. Certain substances that cause asthma attacks (called triggers) have been identified, but the triggers aren't the same for all people with asthma. The most common triggers include airborne allergens such as mold, dust mites, animal dander or hair and pollen; chemicals in food or in the air; and air pollutants such as smoke. Other common asthma triggers include cold air, physical exercise, strong emotions or stress, respiratory infections and certain medications such as beta blockers, aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For women, the menstrual cycle is sometimes an asthma trigger.

Possible Complications

Severe complications, including death, can result from bronchial asthma if symptoms aren't carefully controlled. Other possible complications include decreased ability to take part in physical activities, sleep deprivation due to nighttime symptoms, persistent cough and permanent changes in the way the lungs function. Ability to breathe may deteriorate to the point that assistance is necessary by use of a ventilator.