Document Type : Review Article
Authors
1
Department of History of Medicine, Faculty of Traditional Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2
Department of Islamic History & Civilization, Faculty of Theology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
3
Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
4
Department of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
5
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
6
Neurosciences Research Center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
In the Middle Ages, asthma had a legacy from antiquity. The most accurate one was Galen (129-216 AD). In the Middle Ages, Ali ibn Rabban Tabari (838-870 AD) first introduced asthma and explained its different types. After him, many physicians devoted a significant part of their work to this disease. We searched the original versions of historical books and used a narrative approach to report the history of asthma. Pneumonia, inflammation of the spleen, and softness and stiffness of the chest muscles are some of the factors that have been suggested as the causes of asthma. However, the most accurate cause was given by Ibn Sina (980-1037), and he gave many detailed reasons for it. In addition to the previous reasons, which he listed according to a much more accurate classification than his predecessors, he cited other problems such as the presence of sputum, dry lungs, dry cough, sputum caused by neurological diseases, diseases of the organs adjacent to the respiratory organs, and congenital injuries as causes. Of course, other factors have been added by other physicians, the most notable of which are hereditary problems and diseases such as nosebleeds and pneumonia. The accurate observations of physicians in the Middle Ages provide a detailed and comprehensive description of asthma. The definitions and classification of different types of asthma were an important element in designing the treatment plan.
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