What is a "reactive airway disease"?

What is a "reactive airway disease"?

William Berger (Allergist and Immunologist) gives expert video advice on: What is "asthma"?; Can people die from asthma?; What causes asthma? and more...

Reactive airway disease is the general term that's used for anybody who has tightness in their chest, coughing, or wheezing, in response to some type of trigger. Very often, that's infection, such as a cold or a virus. Very often, reactive airway disease can be triggered by allergens, pollens - things like trees, weed, grass pollens and also by exercise and other types of stimuli. However, reactive airway disease doesn't specifically describe a disease; it describes a condition, and that's why it's important that a proper diagnosis be made.