Causes and Symptoms

• Currently, researchers are unsure as to what precisely causes asthma to develop, but the factors that contribute to it are both hereditary and environmental. A person can be born with and carry with him a lifelong disease, or asthma can suddenly develop later in life. Symptoms of asthma include: chest tightening (as the bronchial passages constrict), wheezing, coughing (the cough can be both dry and mucus-producing), difficulty speaking in sentences and an inability to receive a proper oxygen supply, no matter how deeply you breathe (because the bronchial tubes are inflamed, making them smaller and making it more difficult for air to pass through to the lungs).
  
  

Triggers of Chronic Asthma

• Uncovering the triggers that aggravate someone's asthma can be a complicated process, as triggers are different for each individual asthma sufferer. One asthmatic can be allergic to cats, while another owns several and does not experience any difficulty breathing as a result. However, there are common triggers that affect many asthmatics; eliminating unnecessary exposure to these triggers (particularly at the onset of an attack) is important. Common asthma triggers include: dust, pollen, smoke, household pets, pet dander, bleach, paint, household cleansers, climate changes (i.e., cold to hot; winter to spring), humidity, stress, anxiety, food allergies and obesity.
  
  

Lifestyle Choices

• Taking proper care of yourself is important whether or not you have asthma, but it becomes especially important when you have a serious chronic disease. Maintaining the proper weight is crucial to staying in control of your asthma--those few extra pounds add pressure on your body and make it more difficult for your lungs to function. Controlling your asthma will include following a diet regimen, getting plenty of fresh air and water and making the proper food choices. Many asthma triggers are food-related (dairy is a major culprit). If you think you are experiencing food-related asthma symptoms, ask your pulmonary specialist and make an appointment to see a nutritionist.
  
  

Medications for Asthma

• There are two basic types of medications used to treat chronic asthma: fast-acting bronchodilators and preventative medications. Preventative medications (such as Advair and Singulair) are taken either in pill or inhaled powder form at a certain time each day in order to maintain and regulate control of asthma symptoms. Fast-acting bronchodilators are inhalers (such as Albeuterol) taken at the first sign of trigger symptoms in order to prevent an oncoming attack. Rescue inhalers work within minutes to open the airways, allowing the asthmatic to breathe quickly in what could be a life-threatening situation.
  
  

Alternative Treatments

• Herbal remedies should never replace medication, but can serve as an enhancement to better lifestyle choices for asthmatics. Herbal tea is infused with honey and ingested three times per day to serve as a decongestant, alleviating asthma symptoms. Chamomile tea is often recommended by herbalists to asthma sufferers, who claim that it reduces chest tightness by releasing mucus (allowing coughs to be more productive). Other alternative treatments for chronic asthma include acupuncture and acupressure, and relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation are often incorporated into daily routines to reduce stress and loosen the muscles and tension in the body.