How Did Asthma First Start?

Answer 1

Asthma is a pulmonary disease caused by an inflammation of the bronchial passageways. The first historical signs of asthma were recorded in the 8th century B.C. by the epic poet Homer. Anthropologists suspect that asthma originated with the human race and that it has existed for as long as we have been alive.

1. First Recorded Signs of Asthma

   • Asthma was mentioned (or the first symptoms of asthma were recorded) in the epic poem "The Iliad," written by Homer around 800 B.C. The Greek physician Hippocrates (for whom the Hippocratic Oath is named) first defined asthma and the symptoms of asthma in 450 B.C. The word "asthma" is ancient Greek and translates into the phrase "to pant."

   First Treatments of Asthma

   • In 150 B.C., Galen, a famous Greco-Roman physician, made a breakthrough observation in asthma's history. Galen noticed the connection between bronchial obstruction and the symptoms of asthma. And while Galen was on the right track in connecting the symptoms and the bronchial passageways becoming constricted, his treatment was ineffective. Galen thought the best treatment for asthma was a glass of wine mixed with owls' blood.

   First Medication for Asthma

   • Modern treatment for asthma originates with the invention of the bronchodilator (thank Japanese scientist Jokici Takamine). The bronchodilator is a medication which is inhaled into the lungs and causes the inflamed airways to become less constricted. The most commonly prescribed bronchodilator is Albuterol, which is referred to as an asthmatic's "rescue inhaler."

   Breakthrough Research for Asthma

   • In the days of Homer and Galen, very little was known about asthma and how its symptoms affected the constriction of the airways. Even as recent as the 20th century, asthma was believed to be a psychosomatic condition (many believed the sickness was in the mind of the sufferer and not a genuine physical concern). As a result, asthma was treated as a neurotic condition. Modern medical science now recognizes the delicate balance asthmatic sufferers experience between emotional concerns (anxiety, stress) and how that affects the constriction of their airways.

   Breakthrough Treatmens for Asthma

   • Once physicians were able to understand the relationship between asthma symptoms and the triggers that cause a person to experience asthma, they were able to understand how to treat the disease, as opposed to just the symptoms. Asthmatics are now offered preventative medications to control their asthma before the onset of symptoms, as well as a bronchodilator to treat the symptoms. Asthma treatment has come a long way since Hippocrates, and thankfully it is no longer necessary for the asthmatic "to pant."

i copied this from the internet so some of the parts are not really related