As a teen, what is asthma?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Asthma is a kind of allergic reaction that’s manifested through the respiratory system. Look at the diagram of the lungs and imagine what happens if you turn on a spigot and there’s a sharp squeeze in the hose. The water can’t get out of the hose and stays bottled up at the point of obstruction.
It’s the same thing that happens when you have decreased airflow: The hose feels squeezed and air can’t get out. That’s asthma. In patients with the disorder, the trouble isn’t with getting air into the lungs, it’s with getting air out, and it feels like a vise is squeezing the bronchus.
The squeezing comes from the inflammation, which blocks the flow of air, and also from the constriction of smooth muscle in the area, which further blocks the area. During this time, the muscles in the area become red, swollen, and more likely to go into spasm--which constricts the bronchi to trap air in the alveoli (the squeeze in the hose), which causes the plastic-kazoo sound of trying to force air through the small opening.
Find out more about this book: YOU: The Owner's Manual for Teens: A Guide to a Healthy Body and Happy Life
Asthma is a kind of allergic reaction that’s manifested through the respiratory system. Look at the diagram of the lungs and imagine what happens if you turn on a spigot and there’s a sharp squeeze in the hose. The water... More
