Asthma

Asthma is the condition where the airways become irritated, making it difficult to breathe. What causes this irritation varies from person to person, from allergies, to smoke, to exertion. The limited airways cause problems such as shortness of breath; dizziness; difficulty regulating breathing; coughing; wheezing; and in severe asthma attacks, all breathing is severely hampered, which can - in extreme cases - be fatal.

It is possible to claim for asthma as an industrial disease if you have occupational asthma - asthma that has been brought about by your working conditions. If at work you are exposed to substances such as flour or wood dust, these may cause irritation in your airways, which - over time - could lead to the development of asthma. Substances such as these (of which there are many) are called asthmagens or respiratory sensitisers. They can bring about hypersensitivity in the lungs which can cause future asthma attacks.

Some people suffer from asthma from childhood, only to find that the conditions of their workplace worsen their symptoms ('work-related asthma'). The respiratory sensitisers, while not causing the initial onset of the condition itself, can bring about hypersensitivity and therefore increased attacks in life-long asthma sufferers.

Both occupational and work-related asthma give rise to successful industrial disease claims if handled by a claims management company with experience in such cases, such as Claim-Easy.