A sudden, temporary tightening of the muscles around the smallest air tubes in the lungs, making it harder to breathe.
Combining form bronchio- (from bronchus) with -spasm (from Greek spasmos meaning 'convulsion' or 'involuntary muscle contraction'). The term describes the physical action of airway constriction.
Bronchiospasm is what happens during an asthma attack, but it can also occur with severe allergies or exposure to irritants—and interestingly, it's one of the few involuntary body responses you can sometimes learn to control through breathing techniques.
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