Dr Pratibha Gogi, Pulmonologist, Chest Specialist, Bronchoscopy Delhi

Asthma
Asthma is a lung disease. Asthma causes the breathing tubes in the lungs to temporarily narrow. People with asthma have difficulty breathing air in and out of their lungs. An allergen or irritant in the environment usually triggers an asthma flare-up. There is no cure for asthma. Some asthma flare-ups can be prevented. Asthma can be treated with lifestyle changes and medication. Untreated asthma can become severe and life threatening. People can control their asthma with self-management and medical treatment. Most people with asthma can lead normal lives.

Asthma Treatment Services

It is very rightly said that when we own our breathe nobody can steal our peace. We all need to breatheâ€¦itâ€™s after all the secret of Life, hence imagine the state of a person when every breathe for him or her is an effort & a moment of fight for survival. Now what exactly is the condition which causes a person difficulty in breathing & the most commonly heard condition is called Asthma. Asthma is a disorder that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swells. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by. In sensitive people, asthma symptoms are triggered by breathing in allergy-causing substances (called allergens or triggers).Wheezing

Symptoms of Asthma :-
-Trouble breathing
-Wheezing
-Coughing
-Chest pain
-Chest tightness

Allergy

What is an Allergy?
An allergy is the response of the body's immune system to normally harmless substances, such as pollens, foods, and house dust mite. Whilst in most people these substances (allergens) pose no problem, in allergic individuals their immune system identifies them as aâ€™ threatâ€™ and produces an inappropriate response. Coughing

Types Of Allergy :-
-Skin Allergy
-Rubber Latex Allergy
-Drug Allergy
-Allergy to Wasp and Bee Stings
-Food Allergy
-Respiratory Allergy
-Severe Allergy and Anaphylaxis

What is Causing Your Allergy?
Allergic reactions are caused by substances in the environment known as allergens. Almost anything can be an allergen for someone. Proteins are organic substances which contain hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, and form an important part of all living organisms. There are also found in food, along with fats, carbohydrates and other substances. However, only proteins can cause true allergic

reactions.

The most common causes of allergic reactions are:-
-pollen from trees and grasses
-proteins secreted from house dust mites
-moulds
-foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and eggs
-pets such as cats and dogs, and other furry or hairy animals such as horses, rabbits and guinea pigs
-insects such as wasps and bees
-medicines (these may cause reactions by binding to proteins in the blood, which then trigger the reaction)