Thousands of people worldwide suffer from asthma. If you dont have it, you undoubtedly know someone who does. Its a common condition, and fortunately it isnt too severe in most cases. It acts by restricting the airways to the lungs, causing a great deal of discomfort. Although asthma attacks usually only last for a few minutes, in some cases they can be fatal.

Asthma usually shows up in childhood and lasts a lifetime. There are rare occasions when it does go away. No one in the scientific community knows what causes asthma, but its generally believed to be genetic.

Over the years there has been a rise in the number of asthma patients. Though no clear reason has emerged to explain this but many believe it could one of the many ills of fast paced modern life arising from bad eating habits, stress and a polluted environment.

Several things are known to set off an asthma attack. Some sufferers are affected by all of them, and others by only one or two. The most common causes are exercise, smoking, dust, pollen, illnesses such as colds or flu, certain foods, and even changes in air temperature.

Anyone suffering from asthma is well aware of the symptoms. It would be wise to talk to close friends and family, or even co-workers about these signs so they can help during an attack.

The most common signs are wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, and a tight feeling in the chest. In most cases, asthmatics carry medicated inhalers to help them breathe during an attack. Anyone with asthma should be sure to carry it everywhere. If you observe someone having an asthma attack and they dont have an inhaler, or it fails to work, call 911 immediately.

If you have asthma your doctor has probably prescribed an asthma reliever in a the form of an inhaler. Other than using your inhaler when an asthma attack strikes what can you do to help ease your asthma? Be sure to discuss prevention techniques with your doctor as they are the best resource. You can also find a variety of asthma support groups that discuss what it's like to live with asthma.

In the event that you do have asthma, learn to identify what your triggers are. That way you can avoid them as often as possible. As an example, you may find that exercise triggers your attacks. Since we all need physical activity to remain healthy, get together with your doctor to explore another exercise that doesnt set off your asthma attacks.

Asthmatics need to take care of themselves and their health to avoid potentially dangerous asthma attacks. Informing those close to you of your condition if it is serious is also very important. Educating yourself and others about asthma is important to your well being. Being knowledgeable about asthma will help you to prevent attacks and deal with those attacks that do happen. Talk to your doctor about any concerns that you may have.