more info. needed

Can you please explain the difference between Respiratory Disease and Asthma? Thank you, L

[National Jewish]

Respiratory Disease is a general term describing any problem related to the respiratory tract. The respiratory tract begins with the nose and goes all the way to the smallest airways and tissues of the lung. Therefore, someone with pneumonia, for instance, has a respiratory disease. Asthma is a specific type of respiratory disease. It is a specific disorder of the small airways of the lung. In asthma, the airways are very irritable, go into spasm and open up again with medication (or sometimes on their own) and produce an increased amount of mucous.

[starion]

Dear Friend,
Respiratory Disease is a big category and includes many diseases which affect our lungs, i-n-c-l-u-d-i-n-g asthma.  Asthma is discussed in more detail on many sites, and one of it's primary characteristics is that it has some amount of r-e-v-e-r-s-i-b-i-l-i-t-y, unlike many other conditions.  Most primary care providers are able to treat simple, uncomplicated asthma, but many will refer patients whose asthma is poorly controlled to a specialist who can provide more help.  I hope this is helpful.
www.NationalJewish.org does a great job of discussing many lung conditions, including asthma on it's home page, as well as its MedFacts & LungFacts pages.
Best of luck!
Aloha,
Starion