Disease of a chronic nature with the course of inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract is called bronchial asthma: the causes of the disease lie in the reaction of the body to various stimuli. Pathology is accompanied by severe attacks of cough and shortness of breath, often ending in suffocation.
Bronchial asthma - causes of the onset of the disease
The human respiratory system is a simplified combination of three components:
- trachea;
- bronchi;
- lungs.
The internal surface of the organs is covered by the mucous membrane, which, when the pathogens appear, a viral or bacterial attack secretes mucus to prevent penetration of pathogens directly into the lungs. In asthmatics, the tissue lining the bronchi often inflames and swells, which leads to a significant narrowing of the airway lumen and greatly hinders air access.
The causes of the appearance and development of bronchial asthma
In fact, it is not possible to pinpoint the factors why some people are hypersensitive to asthma-causing substances. The main cause of the disease for today is considered to be an allergy , as a specific immune response to external stimuli. They can be:
- wool of domestic animals;
- Food;
- household and industrial dust;
- pollen of plants;
- spores of fungi;
- microscopic pliers;
- traffic fumes;
- components of perfume and toilet water;
- tobacco smoke;
- medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- bacterial infections;
- viruses, including influenza;
- chemical ingredients of detergents.
Moreover, the disease can develop without inclinations to allergies due to other factors.
Bronchial asthma - psychological causes
Increased reactivity of the bronchi in rare cases is observed because of prolonged emotional overload and stress. Unstable nervous and mental state of a person leads to increased heart rate and increased blood circulation. In asthmatics, this mechanism provokes swelling of the bronchial mucosa throughout the surface and a narrowing of their lumen, which is fraught with suffocation.
Risk factors for bronchial asthma
Among other causes of pathology, it should be noted:
- genetic heredity;
- ecological situation;
- professional activity;
- prevalence of products of animal origin in the diet;
- physical overstrain (load asthma);
- the effect of cold on the respiratory tract;
- humid climate;
- lack of calcium in the body ;
- problems of the autonomic nervous system;
- destructive changes in the bronchi;
- mechanical damage to the chest;
- formation of slugs from detachable mucus.
Particular attention is currently paid to the hereditary factor, since the incidence of asthma in one of the next of kin exceeds 30%.
Attack of bronchial asthma - causes
Choking, characterized by the inability to breathe air, is accompanied by wheezing, non-stop coughing, pain in the lower chest and lack of oxygen.
The main cause of the attack is obstruction of the mucous membrane with a sharp intense spasm of smooth muscles and a narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi. It arises from an overabundance of allergens and irritants in the external environment, physical or emotional overload, and lack of timely treatment. As a result, a so-called mucous plug is formed, containing proteinaceous cells, epithelium and other components. During an attack, dehydration occurs, which contributes to an even greater concentration of sputum.