Final answer:
A patient suffering from an allergic reaction that causes airway swelling will have increased airway resistance due to narrowed air passages. The condition makes it harder for air to flow through the constricted airways, akin to restricted water flow in a narrow pipe.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient experiences an allergic reaction causing the airways to swell, the condition would increase airway resistance due to narrowed air passages. This is because the swelling induces a physical constriction of the bronchioles and bronchi, which are pathways for airflow in the lungs. With these passageways narrowed, the space through which air can flow is reduced. Consequently, more force or pressure is required to move air in and out of the lungs, directly resulting in an increased resistance. It's comparable to how water flows with more difficulty through a narrow pipe compared to a wide one.
In allergically induced asthma, the factors contributing to the narrowed airways include inflammation, edema or fluid accumulation within the airway walls, smooth muscle spasms, increased mucus production, and potential damage to the airway epithelia. All these factors combine to reduce the diameter of the airways, thus elevating the resistance against the airflow during breathing. In contrast to increasing compliance, which would make the lungs easier to inflate, the allergic reaction creates an obstructive scenario that impedes airflow and thus works against effective breathing.