What Causes Asthma? |
The causes of asthma are not well understood, and the rapid increase in asthma prevalence around the world is one of the biggest mysteries in modern medicine. Ten years ago, scientists thought that diesel exhaust and other pollutants might be causing the asthma epidemic. Now, they believe that the picture is more complex. Many scientists are examining the role of genetic factors in causing asthma, and researchers are also looking at how the immune system develops in early life. |
| However, the causes of asthma attacks are better understood. People with asthma have chronic inflammation in their lungs, and airways that narrow more easily than those people without asthma in response to a variety of factors. The factors that can set off an asthma attack include inhaled allergens (such as dust mites, pollen, and cat and dog allergens), tobacco smoke, air pollution, exercise, strong emotional expressions (such as crying or laughing hard), chemical irritants, and certain drugs (aspirin and beta-blockers). Each person with asthma reacts to a different set of factors, and identification of these factors and how to avoid them is a major step for each individual in learning how to control their disease. |
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There is no cure for asthma but total control can be achieved. Properly managed asthma should not prevent you from doing any normal activity.
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