Laryngitis from smoke and paint

Athough my mother had asthma and would weese all the time, My brother could not smoke and would leave his cigar on the front porch before entering. My older sister who is 70 has developed asthma. Now for twenty years I can not be around anyone who smokes, the nicotine (426 chemicals) causes severe laryngitis instantly upon contact. Smoke inhalation of any kind, paint, causes my vocal chords to swell and severe laryngitis is present. Is this an asthmatic reaction? My mother could hardly breathe if smoke was around her and now it affixiates me as well. Please advise. Thanks D.Washington

Occupational Asthma, Specialist, 2/20/2006, 2/20/2006,

Problems with the vocal cords and larynx can cause wheezing, difficulty breathing and reduced breathing tests, i.e. many of the features of asthma. Asthma however is a completely different disease with normal larynx and vocal cords, but with inflammation and narrowing of the airways within the lungs. From a doctors point of view airflow obstruction from the larynx can be difficult to separate from asthma, special breathing tests and a direct look at the larynx during breathing are often required to separate the two. The separation is important as the causes and treatments are completely different.

2/20/2006