Air, Breathing and the Environment

Asthma Attack

An asthma attack is any shortness of breath that requires either medication or some other form of intervention for the asthmatic to breathe normally again. Wheezing is often associated with the attack - whistling or rattling sounds occur when air flows through obstructed airways. Wheezing starts with exhalation, or breathing out, but as the attack progresses, wheezing may then be heard both while inhaling and exhaling. If the attack progresses further, the asthmatic may stop wheezing as small airways become completely blocked.

Air reaches the lung by passing through the windpipe (trachea), which divides into two large tubes (bronchi), one for each lung. Each bronchus further divides into many little tubes (bronchioles), which eventually lead to tiny air sacs (alveoli), in which oxygen from the air is transferred to the bloodstream, and carbon dioxide from the bloodstream is transferred to the air.

Asthma involves only the airways (bronchi and bronchioles), and not the air sacs. The airways trap airborne particles in a thin layer of mucus that covers their surface. The mucus is either coughed-up or swept up into the trachea by cilia, tiny hairs on the lining of the airways. Once the mucus reaches the throat, it can be coughed up or swallowed.  The asthmatic's airway is hyper-reactive. In response to stimuli, the airway may become obstructed by:

1. constriction of the muscles in bronchi and bronchioles, narrowing the airway

2. inflammation and swelling of the airway with obstruction of air flow

3.increased mucus production that can obstruct the airway.

With bronchoconstriction, air has a harder time leaving the lungs than entering. The result is prolonged noisy expiration. Breathing becomes labored. If you listen with a stethoscope, you will hear scattered whistles from the narrowed bronchi on breathing out. Later, the small tubes in the lung swell and plug with increased mucus secretion, making the obstruction to airflow worse. This inflammatory, obstructive phase is the most important mechanism of chronic asthmatic bronchitis.

Exhaling through obstructed airways is difficult and stale air remains in the lungs after each breath. This decreases the amount of fresh air that can be taken in with each new breath, and less oxygen is available. This decreased supply of oxygen makes an uncontrolled asthma attack a potentially life-threatening affair.

Discussions of Environmental Science and Human Ecology were developed by  Environmed Research Inc. Sechelt, B.C. Canada. Online Topics were developed  from the book, Air and Breathing. This book helps you understand air quality issues, normal breathing and the causes of breathing disorders.  You will find detailed information about  the atmosphere, air pollution and climate change, airborne infection, air quality and airborne hazards at home. Click the Add to Cart button on the left to order printed book for mail delivery from Alpha Online. Click the Download button to order and download the PDF file from Persona Digital Online.

Air and Breathing

Stephen J. Gislason MD. Air and Breathing. Alpha Education Books. 2011. ISBN 978-1-894787-73-4 Print Edition ISBN 978-1-894787-36-9 Digital Edition for Download

Not all respiratory diseases are caused by airborne pathogens. If asthma, bronchitis and/or nose sinus congestion is chronic or attacks occur frequently in all seasons and are not related to airborne exposure, then consider delayed pattern food allergy as the cause and do diet revision using the Alpha Nutrition  Program.  You can order a starter pack which included the book, Air and Breathing, the Alpha Nutrition Program and a small jar of Alpha ENF for evaluation. Order Breathing Rescue Starter Pack   We ship to all destinations in Canada and the USA. \

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