Asthma affects the airways and disrupts the transport of air in and out of the lungs. Asthma sufferers have sensitive airways which become inflamed and narrowed under certain conditions. The inflammation is caused by the body's immune system, in order to counteract the irritant. When inflammation occurs it becomes difficult for oxygen to reach the lungs. Consequently asthmatics may experience difficulty with breathing.
Numerous factors can be responsible for triggering an asthma attack.
Asthmatics are usually allergic to more than one trigger and their asthma symptoms may vary from wheeziness, to shortness of breath, chest tightening or the over production of mucus. Both indoor and outdoor air pollution, natural and man-made, can trigger asthma attacks. Common indoor pollutant triggers include the dustmite , mould and cigarette smoke . Cigarette smoke is damaging to everyone's airways, but can be particularly bad for people with asthma. Smoke causes the airways to narrow, making it more difficult to breathe.