What is asthma?

• A. A disease of the lungs that cause attacks of cough or difficulty breathing
• B. A disease of the skin that causes rashes
• C. A disease of the heart
• D. A disease of the stomach

Answer: (A)

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in the lungs. In asthma, the pipes that carry air in and out become swollen and narrow, especially during an attack, which makes breathing hard and often causes coughing and wheezing. Triggers vary by person and can include allergens like dust or pollen, viral infections, exercise, smoke, or cold air. Symptoms can come and go and may be worse at night or with activity, so recognizing patterns helps with management. Treatment aims to reduce inflammation with daily controller medicines and provide quick relief with an inhaler during symptoms; for children, having an asthma action plan helps guide when to use rescue medication and when to seek urgent care if breathing becomes severely difficult.