"What is asthma?" is often the first question people with asthma have after getting an asthma diagnosis. Most people know it has something to do with breathing, but they may not really understand what is happening with their bodies to cause the symptoms they are having.
Doctors aren't sure exactly why some people get asthma, while others don't, but they do know that a faulty immune system is the main culprit in asthma. The immune system is the body's first line of defense against disease and infection. In people with asthma, the immune system interprets normally harmless substances as threats to your health and initiates inflammation. That leads to the changes in your airways.
Asthma can be allergic in nature or it can be triggered by exposure to exercise or chemicals and fumes in a work environment. Asthma can affect children and adults of all ages, including the elderly. Asthma is generally classified by level of severity and how well you can keep it under control.
Although there is no cure for asthma, it can be managed effectively through environmental measures (such as air filters) and medication so that it does not interfere with everyday life.
Sources: "Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma." NHLBI Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma. 28 Aug 2007. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 18 Dec. 2007 <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf>
