is asthma psychosomatic?

Answer 1

17-20 million people with asthma versus around 300 million people in the US seems out of place with one out of every four ER visits. That's a lot of visits for an average. For this to fit wouldn't that mean that, on average, people with asthma go to the ER (specifically for their asthma) 15 times a year? I'm not saying that there aren't people that really need to do this or much more. I know that there are. But the numbers seem to suggest, to me anyways, that there are a lot more people being treated for it then people who have it. On top of that a lot of asthma cases are extremely small. I have been diagnosed with asthma myself, but I rarely ever need to use an inhaler (knock on wood). If cases like mine are included in the "people with asthma" numbers then the gap seems even stranger.

Again, I'm not suggesting that asthma is a psychosomatic condition (and neither did elnerdo, he just said some are) I am just saying that there are cases out there that are not asthma but appear to be. Psychosomatic cases are one, but there are probably a lot of others as well, and I think these cases add to the ER visits. If nothing else, if a cure or near cure comes out of this then actual asthma sufferers will be more easily treated and it will become more apparent that some sufferers have something else.

Answer 2

Psychosomatic Asthma

Answer 3

The answer is no,most people are born with asthma, so how can a child that's unable to breath be considered as psychosomatic. Also if a person forgets to take their medications and start worrying about it until their chest gets tight and cant breath---(That's Anxiety)

Answer 4

Just last night I got in the car and when my friend and I got about 5 miles away I suddenly remembered I had left my asthma medicine at home. Immediately my chest began to feel tight and I contemplated asking my friend to turn around but since we were so far already I didn't. I continued breathing hard and deep until we got to where we were going, had a few drinks and I forgot about forgetting the medicine and on the way home I remembered forgetting the medicine but by then I was so tired that I slept all the way home. In fact I just remembered the incident right now reading your question. So in answer to your question, it can be.

Answer 5

Well I guess it can be for some people, but generally its not. Asthma can be triggered by many things ie; environmental allergies, exercise, exposure to smoke or molds. Many children are diagnosed with Asthma as infants and certainly aren't doing it for any type of attention,

Answer 6

It depends. Some times I can control myself when I have an attack, but it really depends on how strong you are. However, while having an asthma attack, you deprive your body of oxygen. therefore, you can actually damage some of you organs. So, although you can suppress an attack mentally, it does more damage than you realize. Also, people confuse hyperventilation with asthma. It's not the same.

Answer 7

The disease asthma is not psychsomatic, but asthma attacks themselves can be the result of stress or made worse by stress or worry. No matter what the cause of the particular attack, these should be monitored and kept under control as much as possible to lessen permanent lung damage and even death.

Answer 8

yes,asthma can be psychosomatic ie it is an outward manifestation of some form of psychological turmoil.

Answer 9

Very rarely. It is usually caused by allergens, and it can run in families, e.g. my family has been asthma-prone for generations.

Answer 10

I think that some sufferers can over exaggerate their symptoms beyond what the disease itself causes by panicking and making too much of it in their heads, but the disease is real and physical