Certain terms associated with asthma can be difficult to understand even for those experienced with the topic. As such, we have created a page listing terms that are commonly confused.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| airways | passage for air to travel from nose/mouth to lungs (trachea) |
| allergen | a substance that influences abnormal bodily reactions, known as allergies |
| allergy | sensitivity to specific allergens |
| alveoli | air sacs located at the end of the bronchioles inside the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs. |
| asthma | a chronic disease that effects the lungs, caused by various factors, patient feel a deprivation of oxygen |
| asthma attack | a situation in which rapid coughing, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulty occur in one diagnosed with asthma [More info] |
| asthmatic | one who has been diagnosed with asthma |
| bronchi | division of trachea into two tubes, each leading to a lung |
| bronchiole | a small subdivision of bronchi that goes to areas of the lung and absorbs oxygen |
| bronchodilator | assists in calming air passages from further inflammation, removes mucus, better known as an inhaler |
| bronchospasm | muscles around the airways |
| CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) | originally used to propel medication out of inhalers; discontinued from 2008 due to the impact on the ozone layer |
| cortisone | a medication used against inflammation, also naturally produced by adrenal glands |
| Galen | a Roman physician [More info] |
| HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) | used as propellants in replacement of CFC's; better for the environment |
| Hippocrates | a Greek physician [More info] |
| IgE | a group of chemicals, naturally produced, that are known to invoke allergic reactions |
| inflammation | the swelling of tissue |
| inhaler | an instant-relief medication that calms/soothes the air passages from inflammation, contains a cylindrical tube filled with medication |
| instant relief medication | medication taken to eliminate inflammation in the air passages, normally effects immediately |
| leukotriene | a naturally produced chemical that is known to be involved in inflammation |
| long-term medication | medication taken to prevent possible asthma attacks, normally becomes effective after 12-24 hours of entering the body |
| mold | a fungus that grows in damp and dark locations |
| mucus | a slippery substance, also known as flem, formed by membranes that coat specific organs |
| nebulizer | a machine that applies air into a "cup" of medicine, forming a vapor which is then inhaled by the asthmatic |
| prevalence | how common something is in a specific region |
| trachea | carries air to bronchi; also known as the windpipe |
| trigger(s) | substance(s) that can potentially influence an asthma attack or asthma in general |
| wheezing | a symbol of breathing difficulty, normally due to mucus blocking the air pipes |
