Respiratory System Disorders and Therapy From a New - Louis Bolk ...

3. Characterization of Asthma and Pneumonia
In this chapter, we will take an in-depth look at the signs and symptoms of asthma and
pneumonia in relation to the pathophysiological findings. This will allow the next step in
the Goethean phenomenological method. We will characterize asthma and pneumonia as
airway diseases dynamically in the sense of fig.2.4. and section 2.4.
3.1. Characterization of Asthma
We look first at the described signs and symptoms of the two asthma patients in relation
to the clinical and pathophysiological observations of sections 2.1.1., 2.1.2., 2.2.1., and
2.4.3. Many of the signs and symptoms of the chronic situation match those of the acute
attack, and we will therefore describe them together here. It is good to bear in mind that
the situation of asthma patients is severe during the acute attack, but in the interval they
may be symptom-free and able to function normally for prolonged periods of time.
3.1.1. Awareness
Overalertness
Our first asthma patient is overalert and aware during the asthma attack. Some of the
alertness is “localized in the airways” themselves: it often leads to a tickle in the throat that
may result in a frequent, dry cough due to the irritation that is present in the airways during
periods of exacerbation, but it also contributes to the chronicity of asthma. Even when no
attack is present, asthma patients often have a dry cough. The awareness in the trachea
and bronchial tree can be described as a pathological awareness. Asthma patients do not
seem to let go of their increased alertness completely, also in between attacks. Often, their
attention is directed to changes in the physical condition. Our second patient shows a high
level of self-consciousness and wants to achieve in her studies and work despite her health.
The alertness contributes to an overreaction to stimuli.