Guest Author - Amy Anaruk

As you read about asthma, sometimes you'll encounter unfamiliar medical terms. Learning the exact definition of these words will enhance your understanding of this complex disorder. I'm creating subject-specific lists of asthma definitions, all of which I'll compile into an Asthma Terms Glossary. This list contains words relating to the structure of the lungs.

Alveoli - tiny, hollow sacs with thin walls on the ends of the bronchial tubes responsible for gas exchange. Oxygen from the air enters the blood here, and carbon dioxide from the body enters the air through the alveoli in reverse.

Bronchial tubes - two main airways that branch out from the trachea, connecting the trachea to each lung. There are two bronchial tubes, one that leads into the right lung and one that leads into the left.

Bronchioles - tiny airways that branch off the bronchial tubes and end in the alveoli. Bronchospasms, part of an asthma flare, happen here in the smooth muscle fibers of the bronchiole walls. Bronchodilators work to open these airways when constricted.

Cilia - hairlike structures in the bronchiole tubes that "sweep" mucus out of the lungs. Asthma sufferers produce too much mucus for the cilia to handle, clogging the airways during a flare.

Diaphragm - the shelf of muscle at the bottom of your lungs, crucial for breathing. Contractions of the diaphragm allow the lungs to inhale and exhale.

Mucus - substance produced by glands in the bronchial tubes, nose, and sinuses. Mucus keeps the airways and lungs clean by trapping particles from the air. The cilia then sweep the mucus to the trachea, where it is coughed up or swallowed. Asthma sufferers produce too much mucus.

Sputum - another word for mucus or phlegm

Trachea - the primary airway that leads into the lungs, also called the windpipe


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"Smile, breathe and go slowly." -Thich Nhat Hanh



This article is not written by a medical professional, and information on this page should never be substituted for your physcian's advice. If you have any questions about your asthma and/or allergies, you should always contact your physician first.