From Kathleen MacNaughton, R.N.,
Your Guide to Asthma.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD
Introduction: What is asthma? When you first get a diagnosis of asthma for yourself or your child, you may be wondering just what is asthma exactly? Or maybe you haven't been diagnosed yet and you're wondering if your symptoms might be asthma.
You won't get a diagnosis here. The information on this site is just that, general information. We can't speak to your condition personally. But if you are concerned about breathing problems, then it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or your child's doctor as soon as you can.
Even though asthma has become a worldwide health problem, it is not well understood by many of the people who have it or who are parents of those with asthma. Get the asthma facts and information you need to understand what asthma is all about.
Getting Started:
- Tips for Talking With Your Doctor About Asthma
- Common Asthma Symptoms
- How Asthma Is Diagnosed
- Asthma in Kids
Definition: Let's start with a simple definition of asthma:
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your breathing. What happens is that your airways become inflamed and irritated in reaction to some kind of substance or situation, which is called a trigger. Your airways are the tubes that carry air and oxygen into and out of your body.
Your respiratory system includes your lungs and small tubes that branch out, called airways. These tubes become smaller and smaller until they form tiny sacs at the end called alveoli. Bands of muscle cover the bronchial tubes all the way down through the alveoli.
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