Yes, stress is a very common trigger for asthma. When we have stress & asthma, we may feel anxious, short of breath and panicked. Stress could lead our asthma symptoms to get worse & make us feel frightened. When stress rises, whether it is over bills or calendar for children, the symptoms of asthma get worse. As coughing & wheezing becomes worse, our health also worsens. Asthma along with stress & anxiety makes a vicious circle.
The connection between Stress & Asthma
- Stress may affect cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, immune& central nervous systems and Asthma is not an exception.
- Stress creates powerful physiological reactions causing airway constriction & changes in immune system that can worsen the symptoms of asthma.
- The mechanism between, anxiety & asthma is many-fold. The uncontrolled emotions could work our nerves & lead to constriction of our muscles such as the smooth muscles of our airways in our lungs. They tighten up & constrict and this can worsen coughing, wheezing & chest tightness in individuals having asthma.
- Although stress & anxiety begin in our minds, asthma is a disease of lungs.
- It is very important to bookmark that asthma isn’t a psychosomatic condition. It isn’t in our head. Stress may trigger the symptoms if we already have this condition, however, if we do not have asthma, stress doesn’t suddenly lead an individual to develop this condition.
The impact of brain on asthma & stress
The brain-body relation between anxiety and asthma is commencing to be better comprehended. As per a group of scientists, certain portions of our brain lead to worsening of symptoms of asthma when an individual is stressed.
Researchers have exposed a collection of people having mild asthma to the triggers which lead both inflammation & constriction of muscles. With the broadening of symptoms, participants were asked to read the words which were either emotionally charged i.e. ‘lonesome’, neutral i.e. ‘curtains’ or asthma related i.e. ‘wheezing’.
They found that words associated to asthma raised inflammation & activities in areas of the brain which control emotions.
If you facing any issues of breathlessness, shortness of breath or wheezing, please consult a specialist at the earliest.