Question 1

is bronchospasm major problem in asthma?

Accepted Answer

One problem: There are two major components in asthma, chronic inflammation of the airways and spasm. One feeds into the other, so if you do not treat both aspects you will not get very good results in your treatment.  You can not see inflammation, but you can hear and feel the spasm, the tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Question 2

any difference between asthma and bronchospasm?

Accepted Answer

Not really: Bronchospasm, or a constriction of the airways, is the major symptom of asthma. It can be present all by itself, as in exercise-induced asthma, or it can be triggered by the underlying inflammation in the lungs of people with asthma. We can treat the bronchospasm itself with bronchodilators such as albuterol, but it is better to treat the inflammation with inhaled steroids.

Question 3

can you get bronchospasm if you don't have asthma?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Coughing fits from an upper respiratory infection can give you bronchospasm as well.

Question 4

what's the difference between bronchospasm and asthma?

Accepted Answer

Symptom vs disease: Bronchospasm refers to "twitchy" airways. It is a sign of respiratory disease. Many diseases result in bronchospasm including asthma but also copd, cystic fibrosis, congestive heart failure, etc. In other words, bronchospasm can occur in many different disease states, not just asthma.

Question 5

is bronchospasms asthma?  can you have bronchospasms without having asthma?

Accepted Answer

Certainly: The mechanism that produces bronchospasm is present in anyone. Consider it a method of closing off the small airways/alveoli to invasion by noxious agents. Infections can sometimes do it .A room filled with chlorine gas will do it to anyone. The difference in normal is they easily reopen that mechanism when the stimulus is gone. Asthma patients have a poor re-open response.

Question 6

my son was just diagnosed with exercise induced bronchospasm. is this the same as asthma?

Accepted Answer

Different types: Asthma is like a rainbow with aspects and elements that vary from one end of the spectrum to the other. They all share a common element which is chronic inflammation of the airway. Exercise induced means just that, that the trigger for the bronchospasm is the exercise. All asthma events have bronchospasm, triggered by different events; allergens, respiratory infections, anthing that irritates.

Question 7

if you have asthma, copd, bronchospasm can benzos aggravate the condition?

Accepted Answer

No, but don't help: Benzos won't exacerbate the underlying medical condition, but because they tend to cause suppression of the respiratory center in the brain, they can make it harder for your body to respond optimally to it's internal compensatory mechanisms as well as to to medications.

Question 8

what specific symptoms warrant use of an epipen (epinephrine)? i have had one for years, have asthma, bronchospasms etc in life. unsure "how bad" is bad enough 4epi

Accepted Answer

Epipen (epinephrine): Can save your life.  Use it for asthma attack that doesn't respond to rescue inhaler or anything the causes facial swelling and shortness of breath.

Question 9

is bronchospasm asthma an will it come up on a spirometry test?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: Asthma occurs when people have excessive bronchospasm triggered by allergens, irritants, some medications or environmental exposures.  Bronchospasm is typically acute and may not show up on spirometry if there has not been a recent trigger.  In this case a methacholine challenge may be used to induce bronchospasm for diagnosis by spirometry.

Question 10

can asthma be cured?

Accepted Answer

No: Very much treatable though.

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Doctor answers about:

Bronchospasm vs asthma

A member asked:

Is bronchospasm major problem in asthma?

A member asked:

Any difference between asthma and bronchospasm?

A member asked:

Can you get bronchospasm if you don't have asthma?

A member asked:

What's the difference between bronchospasm and asthma?

A member asked:

Is bronchospasms asthma? can you have bronchospasms without having asthma?

A member asked:

My son was just diagnosed with exercise induced bronchospasm. is this the same as asthma?

A member asked:

If you have asthma, copd, bronchospasm can benzos aggravate the condition?

A member asked:

What specific symptoms warrant use of an epipen (epinephrine)? i have had one for years, have asthma, bronchospasms etc in life. unsure "how bad" is bad enough 4epi

A member asked:

Is bronchospasm asthma an will it come up on a spirometry test?

A member asked:

Can asthma be cured?

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