Word: lungsful
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You name it, and Olympic track star Jeanette Bolden, 32, is probably allergic to it. Household dust, cats, seafood. Just the smell of fish cooking on a grill is enough to make her eyes puff up and start to water. But Bolden's allergies are linked to a more serious...
Not long ago, Bolden's asthma might have kept her from competing or even coaching. But asthma specialists have learned so much in the past few years that they now believe they can keep most potentially fatal attacks at bay. They have found that allergies play a dual role in...
Acute attacks of asthma occur when the bronchial tubes of the lungs become partly blocked. For reasons that are not entirely clear, the lungs are overstimulated by viral infections, allergens or pollutants. The body responds by activating various defense cells from the immune system. Their mobilization causes the airways to...
If the attacks recur enough times, however, the lungs do not return to normal. They continue to act as if they are being invaded by parasites. This constant state of inflammatory alert damages the bronchial walls, creating scar tissue. As a result, the airways can no longer clear the mucus...
Other researchers blame the jump in asthma rates on gaps in the availability of health care, particularly in the U.S. In Chicago and New York City, the number of hospitalizations for acute attacks in chil dren under age four has surged. "A black child in the inner city has a...