0:02 [Music]
0:04 asthma is a chronic lung disease that
0:06 can cause breathing problems throughout
0:08 someone's lifetime when you have asthma
0:10 there is always a little swelling or
0:12 inflammation inside the Airways with or
0:14 without symptoms
0:15 your lungs react to things that may not
0:18 bother other people these are known as triggers
0:19 triggers
0:21 asthma can cause changes within the
0:23 airway all of which narrow the opening
0:26 making it difficult to breathe
0:28 a healthy Airway is clear with no
0:30 interior swelling and the muscle bands
0:32 around the Airways are not tight there
0:35 is no extra mucus air moves freely
0:37 through the open Airway
0:39 when you have asthma three main changes
0:42 can happen in your lungs if your asthma
0:44 is left untreated or poorly controlled
0:46 changes to the structure of the airway
0:48 may be permanent
0:51 one is swelling or inflammation this is
0:52 when the airway becomes small and
0:55 irritated when the airway becomes
0:57 inflamed it Narrows and it is hard for
0:59 air to flow through
1:01 another change that can occur with
1:04 asthma is extra mucous production which
1:06 clogs the airway making the opening even smaller
1:07 smaller
1:09 the Third change that can happen with
1:11 asthma is the tightening of the muscles
1:12 that surround your Airways called
1:15 bronchoconstriction this reduces the
1:16 opening even more
1:18 when someone with asthma comes in
1:20 contact with an asthma trigger such as
1:23 dust tobacco smoke or even when laughing
1:25 any one or all three of the airway
1:28 changes can happen this is known as an
1:30 asthma attack or episode all of these
1:32 changes contribute to the narrowing of
1:35 the Airways making it hard to breathe
1:38 learn more at long.org asthma [Music]