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The Respiratory System

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Asthma is a common condition of the Respiratory system characterised by periods of muscle constriction or inflammation (swelling and excess mucous production) involving the bronchial tubes (airways) thus causing difficulty in breathing.
The Respiratory system has a major role in the function of breathing by exchanging gases throughout the body’s muscles and tissues and external environment. The respiratory system composes of several organs responsible for the process of breathing; these include the nose, mouth, trachea (windpipe) and the lungs. These major body parts are involved in, and responsible for, the process of respiration whereby oxygen is inhaled and carried throughout the body and the blood stream, while exchanging and eliminating carbon dioxide from the body through exhalation, thus allowing us to live. Other components of the Respiratory system include the larynx, pharynx, diaphragm and bronchial tubes.
During inhalation, the muscles in the chest wall begin to contract causing the diaphragm to move downwards expanding the size of the chest cavity, allowing oxygen to enter. Moreover, by expelling air from the body through exhalation this results in the process known as ventilation …show more content…

Asthma produces a contraction of the bronchial passages causing inflammation of their mucosa lining. As a result, the body responds by activating defence cells from the immune system which causes the airways to swell and the muscles surrounding the airways to contract resulting in the obstruction of airflow. Research suggests that there are 3 main impacts to why the airways become narrow. One reason was due to extra mucus (sticky fluid) building up and causing the airways to be blocked, another was due to muscles squeezing tight around the airways also known as ‘bronchoconstriction’, the last of the three impacts was the lining of the airways becomes red and inflamed

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