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Asthma Causes

Asthma: Causes


Top Causes

1. Birth history

When a mother smokes during pregnancy, she increases her yet to be born kid’s vulnerability to asthma. The baby is deprived of adequate oxygen inside the womb in such a condition, as tobacco settles in the breathing tract of a smoking mother. This hampers the free entry of sufficient oxygen into her lungs. Therefore, she is always incapable of passing on adequate oxygen to her unborn baby. This leads to the development of a deformed breathing system in the baby, who becomes an asthma patient after birth

2. Pregnancy

Asthma hits almost 7 – 8% women when they get pregnant. The condition worsens further when they reach the 24 to 34th week of pregnancy. There are hormonal changes within the body during pregnancy. So, when allergens like fur, molds and dust enter the breathing tract of such women, the production of antibodies increase manifold. The antibodies release chemicals such as histamines. They swell the lining of the lungs and tighten the muscles of the airway to prevent the entrance of allergens into the lungs. This hampers adequate flow of oxygen to the lungs. So, although the women stay safe against allergens but suffer from asthma due to blocked breathing.

3. Genetic factor

If either the father or the mother of a kid has a history of asthma, the kid’s vulnerability to the disease increases manifold. A research revealed that among a hundred cases of asthma 25% were related to genetic factor and family history. The similar allergen that affected the parents creates negative effects to the offspring too. Lack of immunity against such particular allergens, by virtue of genetic factors, give rise to asthma.

4. Low birth weight

Various researches on the factors of asthma reveal that most of the kids or individuals who have a history of low birth weight are more prone to asthma attacks. This is probably one of the common causes of asthma in kids too. Low birth weight signifies that the individual has a weak immune system. This paves the way for more susceptibility to asthma as the body fails to obstruct the allergens from entering the body during breathing. Thus, they show their negative effects by blocking the breathing passage.

5. Stress

Most of the people might not have the slightest idea that stress and tension trigger asthma as well. A recent study on the factors of asthma suggests that people who have more stressful lifestyle are more vulnerable to asthma attacks. It further remarks that the stress is a psychological condition that modifies the immunity of an individual. Thus, the person becomes a victim of common allergens like dust, cold, pollens, etc. which are the major triggers of asthma.

6. Obesity

Medical findings suggest that people who are obese are prone to asthma attack. This is a common trigger of asthma among the adults. Adults, who have a BMI of 25 to 30, are 38% more vulnerable to asthma. Excessive deposition of fat inside the body of an obese individual creates pressure on the breathing tract as well as lungs. As a consequence, sufficient oxygen does not enter the lungs during inhalation. This leads to asthma.

7. Cold air

It has been found that people suffer from asthma when they are exposed to cold air. Cold air in the winter months creates phlegm that blocks the nasal passage and reduces mucociliary clearance. This obstructs the sufficient entry of air into the lungs during inhalation and therefore, aggravates asthma.

8. Environmental pollution

One of the major factors that make people vulnerable to asthma is exposure to environmental pollution. The air we breathe in contains suspended pollutants that create congestion in the lungs. Further, the harmful gasses like nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide also congest the airway. All these obstruct adequate supply of oxygen into the lungs and give rise to asthma.

9. Tobacco

This is a powerful allergen that enhances asthma attack. Tobacco enters the human body when smoke from cigars, pipes and cigarettes are inhaled or gulped down during smoking. This smoke that contains tiny suspended particles of tobacco, enter the breathing tract through the nostrils and damage the cilia. Cilia are the small hairy structures contained inside the airway. In absence of cilia, dust and mucus get deposited easily inside the passage and obstruct adequate flow of oxygen into the lungs. Hence, the victim suffers from breathing problems.

10. Pet dander

Studies reveal that pet animals can also cause asthma. The asthma causing dust mites that aggravate the condition get attached to the hair of these animals. When human beings cuddle them, the dust mites affect the humans too and cause asthma. The dander or the protein contained in the skin and urine also trigger asthma. These danders are very tiny particles that get transferred to the human body through air on occasion of physical contact with pets. This eventually enters the breathing passage and obstructs the normal flow of air during inhalation and exhalation. Consequently asthma attack gets intensified.

11. Exercise induced asthma

Some victims experience aggravated conditions of asthma when they exercise. It is mostly seen within five minutes of exercising. Normally, the body prepares itself during exercising in order to absorb more oxygen and convert it to energy. This energy is then passed on to the muscles to continue with the exercise regime. Thus, puff and pant are associated with exercises. But, asthmatic patients pant more and suffer from intense breathing problems since the already blocked breathing tracts become incapable of supplying adequate oxygen to the body. Hence, by frequent panting the body tries to overcome the lack of oxygen. This spurs asthma.

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