Biology

Asthma
The body has various organs and each one of them is vital to the normal functioning of the body. One of these organs is the lungs whose function is to control respiration in the body of both human beings and animals. It is the key organ in the respiratory system of all animals and human beings. However, the lungs may at times malfunction if affected by some diseases or infections. There are many diseases that affect the lungs. The most common one is asthma. This discussion looks at the effects that asthma has on the structure and function of the lungs. In addition, this discussion will look at the main signs and symptoms of this disease.

The Effects that Asthma has on the Structure and Function of the Lungs
Breathing is a key aspect of life. Without breathing it is not possible for a person to live. When breathing is interfered by one or more factors, then a person is not able to lead a normal productive life. Asthma is one of the diseases that interfere with the proper functioning of lungs and thus brings about breathing difficulties. Asthma is not a disease per se. Instead, it is an attack which affects the lungs preventing them from functioning normally. When a person is suffering from attacks of asthma there are various ways in which the lungs are affected. One of the effects of asthma is inflammation of bronchial tubes. These tubes are the passage ways in which clean air gets through into the lungs. It is also through these tubes that used air is exhaled. When these tubes are inflamed as a result of an asthma attack they become smaller. This makes passage of air difficult and as a result a person experiences breathing difficulties.

The second effect of an asthma attack is swelling of channels through which air passes. Naturally, when the swelling occurs the airways become blocked. This means that air cannot be able to pass and because of that, difficulties in breathing are experienced. Sometimes an asthma attack leads to the tightening of muscles that surround the bronchial tubes and again air into the lungs and outside does not pass properly. This inflammation is brought about by white blood cells which travel to the lungs carrying with them proteins that have an inflammatory effect on the lungs. If the inflammation of the lungs continue for a prolonged period then the lungs risks the possibility of permanent damage. The tissues in the lungs could be scarred permanently if the inflammation continues.

During the breathing process, some mucus is produced to wet the airways through which air passes into the lungs. However, when a person suffers from an asthma attack this mucus is produced in excess. As a result, instead of aiding in the passage of air, this excess mucus leads to blockage of these airways and a person is not able to breathe properly. This excess mucus is produced due the change of the structure of lungs as a result of an asthma attack .

Wheezing and shortness of breath are the two signs and symptoms of asthma.
Although there are a couple of signs and symptoms with which one can identify an asthma attack, the most common signs are wheezing and shortness of breath. Wheezing involves producing a squeaky sound when breathing. It is more of a whistle sound and is often heard when one is breathing and the sound usually comes from either the nose or mouth. Although wheezing is mainly heard when a patient is breathing out, it is also sometimes experienced during inhalation. The reason why asthma patients wheeze is because when the bronchial tubes are inflamed as a result of the attack, they tend to narrow. Consequently, it becomes difficult for air to pass through the narrow tubes and as the air attempts to force itself through the narrow tubes, the wheezing sound is produced.

Shortness of breath is yet another common symptom of asthma. By short breath we mean that a person experiences difficulties in breathing, or they are unable to breathe properly. When experiencing short breath most patients simply say they feel that they are not getting sufficient breathing air. Shortage of breathe because of an asthma attack can be caused by a couple of reasons. It could be that the air passage ways are blocked due to their inflammation thus preventing air from passing properly in and out of the lungs. It could also be that, as already explained, that the muscles around the lungs are swollen making air passage difficult.

When a person experiences any of these symptoms, it is most advisable to seek medical attention immediately. Although these two symptoms do not always mean that one is suffering from asthma, there is a high possibility that one has an asthma attack. Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be managed, especially when discovered at an early stage.

Stroke
The brain, also referred to as the central nervous system, is an equally vital organ in the body of human beings and indeed all vertebrates. As its name suggests, it is the center from which various other functions of the body are controlled. It receives information from neurons which are in various parts of the body after which it triggers a particular reaction. Just like the lungs, the brain is such a vital organ that if damaged it becomes impossible for a person to lead a normal and productive life. One of the common diseases that affect the brain is stroke.

Stroke is a medical condition that affects the brain. Medical reports indicate that this condition is brought about by constant lack of sufficient supply of blood to the brains. The blood insufficiency usually may occur as a result of a blood vessel that is blocked or that has burst making it impossible for blood to reach the brain. Stroke not only affects the functioning of the brain but also its structure.

As aforementioned, stroke comes about due to the inability of blood to reach the brain either because a blood vessel is blocked or burst at some point. When this is the case, the brain is not able to function properly and stroke occurs. Stroke affects either the whole brain or part of the brain depending on how long the problem of insufficient blood has persisted. The extent of effect of stroke on the brain depends mainly on the location of the blood vessel that has been affected. It also depends on the how badly affected the tissues of the brain are. For instance, if the stroke affects the back part of the brain then a person is likely to experience visual problems.

It is important to note that the main damage that stroke causes on the cells of the brain is that it gradually kills them, so that they are no longer able to function. The danger of stroke is that the dead cells in the brain cannot be replaced and thus the condition gets worse with time.  The effect of stroke on the brain largely depends on the specific part of the brain that has been affected. Stroke therefore is classified according to the area of brain that it has affected as follows brain stem stroke, right hemisphere stroke, cerebellum stroke and left hemisphere stroke. The left hemisphere of the central nervous system controls all movement activities on the right side of the body. If this hemisphere is affected by stroke, it paralyses the right hand side of the brain and the entire body. This is also the case with the right hemisphere stroke whereby the left side of the brain and sometimes the entire body is affected.

The stroke that affects the brain stems has been said to be the worst so far and is rated as the most devastating form of stroke. The brain stems control all involuntary actions of the body like speech, breathing and pressure of the blood. This means that when the brain systems are affected by stroke there are high chances that a patient will experience numbness and might consequently be paralyzed on one or both sides of the body.

Aphasia and eyesight problems are signssymptoms of a stroke. Aphasia is a medical term that is used to refer to a condition of the brain which in simple terms means brain damage. This condition affects areas of the brain that are in control of a persons speech. Usually this part of the brain is located on the left side of the central nervous system. Although stroke is the most common cause of this condition, head injury can also result into this particular condition. When people suffer from this condition they are not able to express themselves properly and the ability to understand a language both in terms of speech and writing is also impaired.

A person suffering from stroke experiences eyesight problems where the vision becomes blurred and in severe cases one loses eyesight totally. As already mentioned, stroke occurs when the brain does not get sufficient blood supply and as a result some of the cells in the brain die. The brain is the central nervous system and the area from which coordination of various body parts is made. When some of its cells are damaged, other parts of the body are bound to feel the impact. Usually the eyes are mainly affected.

In conclusion, it is important to note that in all medical cases, however minor an ailment may seem, prevention is always better than cure. This means that regular checkups are important so that diagnosis of any disease may be made at an early stage. When asthma or stroke is diagnosed during the early stages of development, then measures can be taken to prevent further damage. It is thus important for every person to visit a medical practitioner every now and then for routine checkups to avoid severe medical conditions in the future.