| Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder and | | | | even in later stages of life. Sometimes |
| is very prevalent in almost all parts of the | | | | allergy triggered off by one kind of allergen |
| world. There are mainly two different kinds | | | | can be easily translated into a full blown |
| of asthma. Sometimes there are symptoms that | | | | asthmatic attack also. |
| resemble asthma but do not actually qualify | | | | |
| to be the full blown disease. This brings us | | | | Sometimes allergies caused by allergens may |
| to the need of understanding asthma | | | | lead to asthma like symptoms but they do not |
| thoroughly as a disease so that proper | | | | qualify as full blown cases of asthma. |
| prevention and cure can then be practiced. | | | | Allergies are very difficult to detect |
| | | | because of the variety of allergens as well |
| Asthma is generally broadly classified to be | | | | as the variety of reactions shown by the |
| of two types. These are the categories of | | | | patients towards each. But careful analysis |
| bronchial asthma and the categorization is | | | | by a qualified doctor can lead to proper |
| based on the simple criteria of the | | | | judgement in the detection of asthma. |
| predominant factors that cause the disease. | | | | |
| These two types are: | | | | Normally most cases of extrinsic asthma may |
| | | | benefit tremendously with anti-allergic |
| Extrinsic Asthma: Extrinsic asthma is | | | | treatments of different types. This is |
| classified as that form of asthma which | | | | because the disease is mainly caused due to |
| develops when the people prone to it are | | | | the allergen triggers and gets suppressed |
| exposed to surroundings containing various | | | | with adequate suppression of the allergen. |
| allergens. Generally these people do not show | | | | But once the allergen is identified or even |
| any symptoms and appear to be perfectly | | | | suspected the patients must take care in not |
| healthy but upon exposure to an allergen that | | | | exposing themselves to it to the extent |
| has the potency to develop symptoms in them | | | | possible. |
| they can develop the symptoms of asthma very | | | | |
| quickly. | | | | Intrinsic Asthma: This type of asthma is |
| | | | generally not a resultant of allergic |
| The symptoms thus manifested can range from | | | | reaction to any kind of allergens. This may |
| mild to chronic depending upon the reaction | | | | occur generally in the later stages of life. |
| of the body towards the allergen. The people | | | | The disease may take full blown proportions |
| who generally develop asthma this way show a | | | | and may manifest all of a sudden. This means |
| tendency towards other allergies and | | | | that the disease has a way of attacking the |
| infections also like eczema. If tested it is | | | | people who do not have any known history of |
| seen that such people generally show allergic | | | | similar or even remotely similar disorders. |
| reactions to one or more than one allergens. | | | | This also applies to not having any genetic |
| These allergens can be of any kind. They can | | | | history of the disease. These facts make it |
| be food allergens or dust or animal dander or | | | | very difficult for the patient as well as the |
| smoke or pollutants of any other kind. | | | | doctor as the patient's psychological |
| | | | acceptance of any disease is of prime |
| It is important to understand that the people | | | | importance in any treatment. Since this |
| who are usually prone to this kind of asthma | | | | disease is not triggered by allergens, these |
| may have been suffering from recurrent mild | | | | patients do not respond to the anti-allergic |
| to severe bouts of cold, cough and repeated | | | | treatments of any kind. |
| sneezing. This happens generally because the | | | | |
| respiratory tract becomes weakened with every | | | | Intrinsic asthma normally occurs due to some |
| such bout of cold and since the person is | | | | disease of the lung that may have existed for |
| already prone to allergies, chances of his | | | | a long time but may not have been detected. |
| system contacting asthma become very high. | | | | Sometimes it is seen that the patients |
| This is also a type of asthma that is very | | | | suffering from some kind of bronchial |
| prevalent in younger stages in life | | | | infection in the early stages of life develop |
| especially in smaller kids who get exposed to | | | | intrinsic asthma all of a sudden after many |
| atmospheric pollutants a lot. | | | | years of the infection being cured and |
| | | | without any manifestation of any kind of |
| In the third world countries the situation is | | | | symptoms of recurrence of the infection. This |
| very bleak for patients showing tendencies of | | | | only goes to show that the lung infections |
| extrinsic asthma. This is because the laws | | | | need to be detected and treated properly and |
| controlling the effect of pollutants from | | | | should never be neglected. |
| various factories and developmental outlets | | | | |
| are very poor and most of the time they are | | | | Also the people who have had any kind of lung |
| constantly flouted. So the tendency of | | | | disorder should take extra care and get |
| extrinsic asthma can be really called as a | | | | themselves checked from time to time. Such |
| developmental or lifestyle disease. | | | | people should also take care to get the |
| | | | condition of asthma ruled out properly if |
| It is also seen that many of the patients who | | | | they ever find themselves in situations where |
| show tendencies of this type of asthma may | | | | even mild symptoms of asthma are visible in |
| continue to be prone to various allergies | | | | their systems. |