Asthma and Its Effects on the Body, Essay Example

Asthma can be described simply as the disease of the lungs. It causes the lung tubes to bulge and narrow resulting in shortness of breath, coughing and tightening of the chest. Asthma is a widespread, long-term illness that affects children mostly although the older generation can contract the disease too. It is not an aggressive disease because it can only attack the patient at certain times, especially in the morning and at night. Moreover, the asthma fits can only be felt when someone bothers the lungs. The actual cause of asthma is not known; moreover, its cure has not been found. Asthma is a family illness, and when one member of the family has it, it is likely that other have it too.

Causes of Asthma

The main and the known cause of this illness is inflammation of the lung airways. During an asthma fit, the wall of the air tubes in the lung’s bulges and the muscles in these tubes tighten reducing the space in which the air can pass through. Asthma is lethal in people who have sensitive airways because a little trigger on the allergens can lead to detrimental results.

Effects of Asthma on the body

The most obvious effects of asthma are coughing and being short of breath. Indeed, an asthma attack can be very dangerous as it prevents the air from reaching the vital organs in the body. Most of the Asthma patients feel fatigued because of the lack of oxygen in their bodies. Moreover, the process of breathing during an attack takes up most of the patient’s energy. In some instances, asthma attacks lead to coloration of the skin. Indeed, in extreme cases of asthma attacks the patient’s skin turns blue.

Although cancer is mooted as untreatable, proper management of the disease reduces its severity. The patient has to follow the doctor’s instruction by taking the prescribed medicine on time and participating in non-physical activities.