Understanding Asthma -- the Basics
In this article
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the airways of the lungs. The hallmark symptoms of asthma are wheezing and difficulty breathing, but intermittent cough or chest tightness may be the only symptom. These respiratory symptoms usually come in episodes set off by various environmental or situational "triggers." Triggers include -- but aren't limited to -- chemicals, pollution, pollen, animal dander, exercise, smoke, and anxiety or other emotions.
Most people with asthma have only mild and infrequent episodes. For them, the condition is an occasional inconvenience. For others, episodes can be frequent, serious, and even life-threatening if not properly treated. They may need emergency medical treatment. If you have asthma, have regular checkups by a doctor.
Understanding Asthma
Find out more about asthma:
Basics
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Treatment
Prevention
An asthma exacerbation (asthma attack) may pass quickly or last more than a day. Sometimes symptoms recur suddenly and with surprising intensity. This "second wave" attack can be more severe and dangerous than the initial episode and may last days or even weeks.
Asthma affects more than 23 million Americans of all ages, including more than 7 million children. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism and pediatric hospital admission. Although asthma is seldom fatal, it is quite serious. If you have asthma, there are excellent (safe and effective) prescription medications to control it, so you should seek the help of a doctor before trying alternative therapies.
Asthma Myths and Facts
Myth: People with asthma shouldn't exercise.
Fact: Exercise is as important for people with asthma as it is for anyone else. With care or pretreatment, people with asthma can exercise normally and often vigorously. People with asthma generally do better with exercise in environments with relatively high humidity, since exercise-induced airway narrowing (bronchospasm) can be caused by drying of the airways. Slow warm-up and cool-down periods with exercise also helps to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB).
Myth: You'll outgrow asthma.
Fact: This is both true and false. About half of the people who had asthma when they were between age 2 and 10 seem to "outgrow" the disease as they grow taller and notice a marked decrease in asthma symptoms. But in many cases, symptoms recur when they hit their 30s, start smoking, get a respiratory virus, or experience a large inhalant exposure. It's also common to develop asthma as an adult even if you did not have it as a child.