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Asthma

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Asthma
Angelina Jimenez
Semester project
Mr. Evje
3/10/13
ASTHMA Asthma is a lung disease that is chronic and it aggravates and tightens the airways of a person. Asthma cause recurring periods of wheezing, which is a whistling sound when a person breathes, tightness in the chest area, a shortness of breath, and coughing. Coughing mostly happens at night time or either early in the morning. The airways are the tubes that carries air in and out of the lungs, so it is difficult for a person who has asthma because their airways are swollen and sensitive, the muscles around the airways become tight and makes the airway narrow, which causes the airflow to the lungs to decrease. The cells in the airway can possibly make more mucus than it usually does; a thick and sticky substance is causing the airways to narrow even more. The causes of asthma is not exactly known, however, researchers have reason to believe that there are genetic and environmental reason that interact and cause asthma, in the early part of life. Some of the reasons are parents who have asthma, childhood respiratory infections, and inherited tendencies, viral infections in infancy, and airborne allergens, mostly during their early childhood. The triggers of asthma can differ from person to person. Tobacco Smoke or secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma because the smoke that is created by someone smoking is breathed in by someone else who is in the same environment as them, therefore anyone with asthma or has children who has asthma, should not allow anyone to smoke in their home or their car and should make sure that them and their children are in a smoke free environment at all times. Dust Mites are another trigger for asthma, which is in many people homes and can cause some to have an asthma attack. To avoid asthma attacks mattress and pillowcase covers should be used to separate yourself and the dust mites, down filled quilts, pillows and comfortable bedding should not be used, and



References: A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2011). Asthma. Retrieved from A.D.A.M. Inc. website: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001196/. Asthma. (2010, February). American Lung Association. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/. Explore Asthma. (2011). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/.

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