Asthma Case Summary

The respiratory system works in a way that organs in the body are responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. One major organ is the lungs; it carries out the exchange of gas as we breathe. During the process of breathing, the mechanism can be obstructed in different ways and that can result in inflammation of the lungs. Different diseases are being generated due to inflammation of the lungs but my case study is on Asthma. Based on the summary of Urata Yoshida, “Asthma is a disease that involves inflammation of the lungs which directly affects the airway and obstructs airflow in and out of the lungs”. (Respir Med. 2002). Majority of the time, asthma starts at a young age more like my case study about 17 years old girl called

Tammy who was diagnosed with asthma. Tammy was a cheerleader for her high school, always busy with social events and active with sports throughout the school year. Tammy was so excited that the following year she would be attending View University on a cheerleading scholarship but was a little nervous about living away from home. Reason because she has been having trouble controlling her asthma. There are different types of asthma known as: Allergy asthma, exercise-induced asthma, Cough-variant asthma, occupational asthma, and nocturnal asthma. With case of 17 years old Tammy, she was diagnosed with exercised-induced asthma. Exercise is very helpful, a strong healthy body is able to fight or resist disease but people with asthma like Tammy, because they get involve in vigorous exercise, and the airways are constricted, there by limiting their ability to workout. When I was younger about 9 years old, in the fifth grade, then I lived with my parent in Africa, I was a strong athlete that was involved in social events like track and field, long jump, basketball team, soccer team and other activities in school. All through my middle school, I never experience difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. When I start high school and continued with social events, one day in a track and field relay event, I developed a breathing problem and passed out while in session. I was rushed to hospital and I was diagnosed with exercised-induced asthma.
The causes of asthma varies with individuals, it ranges from the combination of environment, infection and genetic factors. Although the genetic links are not completely understood, but from my personal experience, my grandfather suffered chronic asthma even though my biological parent did not inherit the ailment, I inherited it from my grandfather. This puts me in a category with family history of asthma. Scientist assumes that it is not quite understood how genes play a role in the core cause of asthma but Taryn Winter explains that “ if an individual has a parent with asthma, it’s most certain for the individual to suffer asthma than a person whose parent don’t” (2013 URL). The combination of environment can either come from the indoor or outdoor air quality. Depending on the area of habitation, allergens can be inhaled which can trigger the sequence of chemical reaction and tissue changes leading to airway swelling, bronchoconstriction and difficulty breathing. Clay Farris Naff also said “Most time, individuals whose asthma are triggered by pollen always have seasonal symptoms” (Clay Naff. p20). More so, sudden exposure to cold air can also cause an obstruction in the airway. Other risk factors include exercise; a strenuous activity that causes sensitivity of the muscle bands around the airway changes due to temperature and humidity and reacts by contracting and narrowing the airway. Smoking; applies to the quality of air that’s been inhaled. Exposure to chemicals; some chemicals have strong odor that can pollute the air that you inhale, causing an obstruction in the airway that leads to wheezing and difficulty breathing. Also having a mother who smoked while pregnant can affect the respiratory system of the child before birth and causing damage to the child’s bronchioles. Sever coughing with sinusitis is another major cause of asthma; individual with this disease often have dry cough but don’t actually cough anything up. Coughing can interrupt sleep and made worst by exercise and other triggers, such as dust, perfume, cold air and drugs like beta blockers.
The respiratory system is an important aspect of the body that controls our breathing.

Air flows through the nose or mouth, down the throat toward the voice box and goes down the tracheal. Air continues until it finally gets to the air sac called the alveoli where oxygen is taken in to the blood. The air we breathe comprises of many tiny particles that must be removed before the air reaches the air sacs located deep in the lungs. “Dirty particles are partly cleaned by the hairs in the nostrils, and located in the airways are glands which produce sticky fluid called mucus” (UF 2015 URL). This mucus hides the airway by trapping dirt and germs found in it, the tiny broom-like structures called the cilia, clears the dirty mucus from the airways. This sweeps the mucus up near the throat where it can be spit out. Hydration also plays an important role in the lungs. If the air breathe in is too dry, it can damage the tiny sacs in the lungs. Thus, the air must be made moist by absorbing water. Normal lung function is also very vital with the breathing mechanism. The chest contains two lungs and is protected by the ribcage. The purpose of the lungs is to bring oxygen into the body which provides the body with energy, and the removal of carbon dioxide which is considered the waste product of the body. When asthma occurs, it affects the respiratory system, causing a contraction and tightening of the tracheal openings and inflammation of the mucus lining. A summary from Gorman, Christine states that “infection introduced into the body through bronchial passage causes the body to respond by activating defense cells from the immune system. Thus, causing the airways to be inflamed and contracting the surrounding muscles” (P.61-62). An asthmatic patient has airways that are much more sensitive and responsive than airways of a normal person. They tend to become irritated very easily, making the functions of the airways and mucus glands to become hyperactive. When an individual with

an episode of asthma wheezes, the sticky mucus which the airway glands make when asthma increases, is always irritating often causing the person to have persistent cough. If progression of infection in the bronchial wounds off airflow, it can leave an asthmatic patient short of breathe which can lead to hospitalization and extreme cases, death.
Claudia S. Plottel states that “medical textbooks indicate that there are three common signs and symptoms of asthma namely: shortness of breath or dyspnea, wheezing, and cough” (2005, p34). Some symptoms may be triggered by contact with allergen (such as ragweed, pollen, pet, hair or dust), irritation from airborne (such as smoke, chemical fumes or strong odors) or extreme weather conditions. During episodes of asthma attack with me, I notice sometimes it starts with a mild dry cough and progress to a persistent cough, after which the wheezing starts and becomes an asthma attack. Illness, mostly a respiratory disease or the flu and exercise makes a person susceptible to an asthma attack. In addition, a physical exhibition of strong emotions that affects normal breathing arrays such as shouting, crying or laughing, contribute to an asthma attack. During an attack, panic can disorient a person from relaxing and following instruction which is essential during attack. Scientist believes that rapid breathing associated with strong emotions can cause the bronchial tubes to narrow, possibly irritating or worsening an attack. Unlike any chronic condition, asthma can cause emotional strain which is a leading cause of work and school absences. Each time I had an attack in high school, I would be hospitalize for weeks depending on the severity of the attack. More so, depression can set in because person diagnosed with asthma feels they can’t participate in normal activity. At some point in my career and at my present job (Navy) I get depressed for not able to participate in competitions that could earn me an award due to asthma. Asthma symptoms can happen at any time, it can start with mild episodes and last few minutes, it may be resolved spontaneously or with medication. While sever episodes can last from hours to days, some medications can relieve asthma attack. Most medication is; inhales (albuterol), nebulizers (omalizumab) and other pills. During exercise, I use my inhaler as a life support to enable me exercise longer without any attack.
In conclusion, when infection, disease or disorder attacks a certain part of the body, it definitely affects other body systems. Asthma is a chronic disease that not only affects the respiratory systems; it affects the immune system and the nervous system. The immune system helps the body fight germs, but with the asthma attack; it can cause the immune system to respond sensitively to substance that would be harmless to the body. Also with the nervous system, the nervous system’s growth factor and protein increases its sensitivity to irritant among individuals suffering from asthma and allergies.