Asthma is the most common chronic condition that can affect both children and adults. It is a disease that is characterised by inflammation and irritation in the airways due to the production of excess mucus. Individuals with asthma have a hard time breathing because of the tightening of the muscles of the airways.
The other symptoms include persistent cough, wheezing during inhaling and exhaling of air and chest tightness. These symptoms can vary from person to person. Some persons experience difficulty breathing all the time, whereas in some individuals, the symptoms worsen during exercise or when suffering from cold or flu.
Asthma can be triggered by allergies, infections, viruses, medications and even weather changes. Another significant cause of severe asthma attacks is smoking. Both direct and passive smoking not only worsens the symptoms but also hinders its management, says Dr. Amitabha Saha, a reputed asthma specialist in Kolkata.
Smoking is a bad habit, and it affects nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and reducing health in general. One of the devasting effects of smoking is its impact on the lungs, especially for individuals who have asthma. When an individual with asthma smokes, the harmful chemicals present in the tobacco like nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances, enter into the body and cause inflammation in the airways.
The constant exposure to the chemicals leads to chronic inflammation in the lungs, which makes the airways more prone to irritation and the individual suffers from severe asthma attacks quite frequently.
Another reason why smoking aggravates asthma is that it destroys the cilia(hair-like structures that clear mucus and debris) in the respiratory system. Says an asthma specialist in Kolkata Once the cilia are destroyed, there is an excess build-up of irritants in the lungs leading to more coughing, breathing problems and wheezing.
In addition to direct smoking, passive smoking equally increases the risk of asthma attacks. Though some people think that passive smoking is not as harmful as active smoking, the reality is completely different. In fact, the smoke exhaled by smokers contains toxins and chemicals that trigger inflammatory responses in the lungs, started Dr. Saha, one of the best asthma specialists in Kolkata.
Those who are exposed to passive smoking even for a brief period suffer from frequent coughing, difficulty getting air, wheezing, chest heaviness and pain.
According to medical reports, second-hand smoke is strongly associated with airway hyperactivity along with lung impairment, which worsens the symptoms over time.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma attacks, try to reduce your exposure to smoke. Make sure that you quit smoking and also ensure that the other person is not exposed to tobacco smoke. It is to be remembered that asthma has no permanent cure. However, you can reduce the severity of the symptoms by consulting an experienced asthma specialist like Dr. Amitabha Saha. Based on the condition, your doctor will prepare a treatment plan along with lifestyle changes to let you manage the disease effectively.