Asthma - UAB Medicine

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes the airways to narrow and become inflamed, reducing the amount of oxygen that reaches the lungs and making it difficult to breathe. When the airways are inflamed, they are more sensitive and narrow. When trying to inhale, the irritated airways overreact and the muscles around them temporarily constrict (tighten), limiting the flow of air. This results in coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Persistent swelling of the bronchial tubes, which carry oxygen to the smaller branches of the lungs, also contributes to the long-term damage asthma causes in the lungs, making it even more important to treat the inflammation. Asthma attacks can occur at any time, but physical activity such as sports or exercise often triggers an attack.

UAB Pulmonary Services is ranked among the best programs of its kind in the nation, and our physicians are consistently listed among the Best Doctors in America for respiratory disease. We serve patients at our main campus and also at our convenient neighborhood clinics in Hoover and Gardendale.

Most UAB Pulmonary Services doctors are triple-board-certified in internal medicine, critical care, and pulmonary medicine. They serve on national boards and specialty organizations, speak at national conferences, publish in scientific and medical journals, and conduct research that is recognized nationally and internationally. Our physicians are continually seeking new ways to treat lung disease and improve the care for patients.