• Question: Does anyone know how people get asthma?

    Asked by cse123 to Carol, Ellie, John, Philip, Rebecca on 26 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Rebecca Lacey

      Rebecca Lacey answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      Hi cse123.

      Asthma is an immune disorder where the cells lining the airways are overly sensitive to foreign particles, such as pollution, dust and pollen. When the cells react to these particles they cause muscle spasms in the airway and difficulties in breathing.

      Nobody really knows exactly what causes asthma but it is known to run in families so there may be a genetic component. However it is also likely to be due to environmental exposures too. At the moment treatment for asthma is quite ‘blunt’ in that it is quite non-specific, for example taking steroids.

    • Photo: Carol White

      Carol White answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      People who have asthma have overly-sensitive airways that react to particles more than they should, but scientists and medics still don’t know why this happens.

      You’re more likely to develop asthma if people in your family have it, and you definitely catch asthma from someone (like a cold, or the flu!). Luckily, some people grow out of it, but why, we still don’t know!

      There are theories that having a “too clean” environment means that when you’re exposed to these foreign particles you body reacts like it’s being attacked. Other scientists have found a possible genetic link, by identifying a chromosome alteration that seems to be common in asthmatic people. Fingers crossed for some answers soon!

    • Photo: Eleanor Turpin

      Eleanor Turpin answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      Hi cse123,

      As Rebecca and Carol say, the causes of asthma are not very well understood. I recently went to a lecture by Sir Andrew Witty, the head of one of the worlds biggest pharmceutical companies and he said that his empoyees are working very hard researching the causes and treatments of asthma because so many people are effected.

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