Anatomy of an Asthma Attack

Anatomy of an asthma attack

When the respiratory system is working properly, the air we breathe passes in and out of the lungs through a network of airways. But for people with asthma, even a minor irritant will set off an immune response that can shut down the airways.

Asthmatic symptoms are usually quite variable, someone with asthma may go for periods of time without symptoms, and then suddenly have severe episodes for days at a time. The most common symptom is wheezing.