December 27th, 2007
Can Older People Get Asthma?
Many people who develop asthma as adults had breathing problems as children. Asthma is a breathing problem that can start at any age. There are also people who have asthma as children and it goes away as they grow older. It may come back later in life. Some people get asthma for the first time when they are older.
Asthma is a breathing problem that makes it more difficult for you to get air in and out of your lungs. When a person has asthma, the breathing tubes are sensitive. This extra sensitivity triggers reactions to smoke, pollen, dust, air pollution, and allergies. The breathing tubes may tighten, become inflamed and swell. When the breathing tubes react or get inflamed, they become narrow and this makes it harder for you to breathe fresh air in and stale air out.