What kind of Asthma is this?

It's taken me many years to identify this chain reaction that causes my asthma, but now I can break it down as follows:

1. For an unknown reason the muscles around and underneath my lungs (possible my diaphragm) seem to spasm, tightening up uncontrollably for at least 20 minutes.
2. I am then unable to breathe in as deeply as usual.
3. To compensate I unconsciously begin to hyperventilate.
4. This rapid breathing irritates my bronchi and bronchial tube mucosa, which swell, resulting in asthma.
5. The muscles then suddenly relax and I am able to breathe deeply again and I immediately feel better (except for the lingering asthma symptoms which also fade quickly).

This spasming occurs whether I feel anxious or relaxed, and seems to have a closer correlation with my GERD than anything else.

During this time I constantly feel like I need to yawn, but cannot. Sometimes I gag and feel a strong impulse to regurgitate.

Interestingly, a lung function test I took confirmed that my breathe 'wave' was indeed rising, resulting in a deeper in breathe and shallower out breath. The doctor was very confused by this. So am I! Any thoughts?

[National Jewish Health]

Your description suggests that you do have asthma, that it is chronically sub-optimally controlled and that it is worsened by gastroesophageal reflux (GERD).  I suspect that worsening of your asthma is what results in inflammation, swelling and bronchoconstriction, resulting in asthma with rapid breathing, rather than the rapid breathing being the initial causative event.

I am not sure what is meant by “…my breathe ‘wave’ was indeed rising,…”, but I assume it to be a reflection of “air trapping”.  When there is more air in than out that leads to hyperinflation of the lungs which, in turn, can increase shortness of breath; a common sequence of events with worsening asthma.

You and your doctor should seek to optimize your therapeutic regimen for the asthma and, in the process, get relief from each of the 5 steps you describe.

Good luck.

[nuclearpowerpants]

Thanks!

Any idea behind the mechanism that results in bronchoconstriction? Is it just the 'asthmatic' reflex? Or is there other catalysts?