What is Bronchial Asthma?

Bronchial asthma afflicts about 10% of children and 5% of adults. An atopic diathesis, i.e., a genetic predisposition toward the production of IgE antibodies in response to (for example) pollen, house dust mites, fungi, or animal-derived proteins, is the most important risk factor for bronchial asthma.

In childhood, bronchial asthma is usually due to allergies; on the other hand, in 30% to 50% of adults with asthma, no allergy can be identified, at least not with the standard techniques. Non-allergic asthma in adults can arise, for example, after a viral infection of the lower respiratory tract. Viral infections can, in turn, promote the development of an allergic sensitization. Intrinsic asthma may reflect the simultaneous presence of sinusitis, nasal polyposis, and an intolerance to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or related non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); this is the so-called Samter’s syndrome.

What causes Bronchial Asthma?

The most common causes of Bronchial Asthma are:

1) Pollen given off by trees, grass, and weeds

2) Dust mites

3) Mold

4) Cockroach waste

5) Animal dander

6) Fumes and odors

7) Temperature

8) Hormonal changes

9) Certain medicines and overuse of topical nose sprays

10) Changes in the environment