Asthma is an illness where irritants cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes, as they become very sensitive, and thus making it difficult to breath. Contraction of the muscles around the wind pipe can be a result of this inflammation. The inflammation can also cause excessive mucus in the air passage as well as swelling of the lining may occur if its an airway inflammation.

Asthma is a growing worldwide problem. Asthma is classified in various ways. Traditionally, doctors have categorised asthma into two general groups, Extrinsic (allergic) asthma and Intrinsic (non-allergic) asthma, depending upon the types of stimuli that flare up these attacks.

Extrinsic (allergic) Asthma:

More prevalent in the younger age group, extrinsic asthma is caused by the immune systems response to inhaled allergens such as pollen, animal dander or dust mite particles. People with allergic asthma frequently have other allergy-related problems such as hay fever, rhinitis, skin rashes, eczema.

Intrinsic Asthma:

An intrinsic asthma usually follows a serious respiratory infection to which no external allergen can be associated. An intrinsic asthma condition may worsen due to emotional stress, changes in temperature or humidity, fatigue, irritants, exposure to fumes and gases etc. some people may be patients of intrinsic as well as extrinsic asthma.

Nocturnal Asthma

This term is often used to describe people who have asthma symptoms at night. Disturbed sleep from asthma symptoms is very common. In fact, people can suffer very severe symptoms in the night and have no apparent symptoms in the day. This is one of the hallmarks of asthma. Symptoms at night should never be ignored and are usually a sign that asthma is not well controlled.

Cardiac Asthma

This term is now rarely used and is completely different to the asthma we are concerned with here. Cardiac asthma has the same symptoms but these are caused by heart failure and not change in the lungs which is the bronchial asthma we are concerned with here. The treatments for this cardiac asthma are completely different.

Here are a few types of asthma triggers and ways to manage them, as recommended by the Consumer Federation of America:

1)Secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke, whether exhaled by a smoker or emitted from the end of a burning tobacco product, irritates air passageways.

To keep secondhand smoke from triggering an asthma attack, asthmatics should politely ask friends and guests in their home to refrain from smoking.

Parents with asthmatic children should prohibit smoking in their homes and automobiles.

2)Dust mites. These microscopic animals are in every home. They survive on skin flakes and usually live in mattresses, pillows, carpets, upholstered furniture, bedcovers, clothes, stuffed toys and other fabric-covered items.

To keep dust mites at bay, wash sheets, bedcovers and blankets at least once a week in hot water; cover mattresses and pillows in dust-proof covers and maintain low indoor humidity.

3)Pets. To keep pets around and avoid asthma problems, pets should be kept out of bedrooms and any other areas where people sleep. They should also be kept away from fabric-covered surfaces, which can collect hair.