Final answer:
Exercise-Induced Asthma (EIA) primarily affects the airway through bronchospasms during physical activity, without notable impact on the alveoli.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of asthma that primarily affects the airway and not the alveoli is Exercise-Induced Asthma (EIA) or Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB). This condition is specifically characterized by airway narrowing due to bronchospasms that occur as a result of strenuous physical activity. In EIA, the bronchioles, which are the small branches of the respiratory tract leading to the air sacs, are affected but the alveoli are generally not implicated. Unlike other types of asthma, such as allergic asthma which can be triggered by allergens like pollen, or occupational asthma which is related to inhaling fumes or dust at work, exercise-induced asthma is triggered by the act of exercising itself. The symptoms of asthma, including EIA, involve difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing as a result of the airway inflammation and narrowing, as well as increased mucus production.