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Mechanism of asthma

Illustration of mechanism of asthma

If you have asthma, the inside walls of the airways in your lungs are inflamed and swollen. This makes the muscles surrounding your airways very sensitive, so they tighten and constrict spontaneously. In addition, membranes in your airway linings secrete excess mucus. The result is narrowed airways and obstructed airflow that typically lead to coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

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