Thread: Does Stress cause asthma attacks?

Iv been really stressed lately. So Im suffocating a lot.. Does stress cause asthma attacks or is it just me? Please answer and thank you.

Well there are different types of asthma. One type, referred to as atopic asthma, is asthma in response to an antigen (something causing the allergy). Another type is nonatopic asthma (non-allergic), and this can be due to a multitude of causes such as smoking, stress, exercise, NSAIDs etc.

Stress can be interpreted by the body as an infection (another type of 'stressor'). This can cause release of leukotrienes, histamine, and other chemicals that act on smooth muscle (found in the bronchus and bronchioles), causing bronchoconstriction, increased mucus production and inflammation. These consequences result in asthma.

My advice would be to visit a doctor. He may be able to asses your level so bronchial hyperreactivity using a methacholine test, and may put you on beta-2 agonists or steroids. If you notice it getting worse make sure you see a doctor because it can lead to life threatening status asthmaticus.

I hope you get better!