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A person with asthma has airways in the lungs that have swollen and gotten inflamed resulting in a narrowing of the airways. Extra mucus is produced and breathing becomes difficult, causing an asthma attack.

The primary signs and symptoms of asthma include pain or tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing that causes problems breathing while sleeping during the night, an audible wheezing sound when exhaling and a respiratory virus such as the flu or a cold that aggravates the attacks of coughing or wheezing. These symptoms can be minor in which case there is little trouble breathing most of the time, wheezing is imperceptible and attacks are sporadic or more sever with attacks coming at night, during exercise or caused by certain triggers such as when the air is cold and dry. One can also experience no symptoms between attacks.

Treatment of asthma typically includes taking medication daily as well as using a quick-relief inhaler when an asthma attack occurs. The purpose of daily, long-term treatments is to reduce the inflammation in the airways so as to enable easier breathing. There are many types of medications and the one prescribed by a doctor is the one that is best suited for one’s symptoms. The most popular medication are inhaled corticosteroids that have a low risk of side effects and typically take several days to weeks of use before they become completely effective. Sometimes taken with inhaled corticosteroids are long-acting beta agonists which serve to reduce inflammation. Another treatment is a pill taken daily called Theophylline, which makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles around the airways.