
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that makes breathing difficult. With asthma, there is inflammation of the air passages that result in increased mucus production and a temporary narrowing of the airways that carry oxygen to the lungs. This results in asthma symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Some people refer to asthma as “bronchial asthma.” An attack will usually begin with an unproductive cough, followed by rapidly progressing difficulty in breathing. A number of allergic, environmental agents and foods can bring on asthma attacks (ex. pollen, dust, mold, animal dander, feathers, textiles, detergents, petrochemicals, wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts, food colorings and preservatives, etc.). Asthma is the leading disability in children and teenagers 2 to 17 years, yet it is relatively common among all age groups.