Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. Your airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When your airways react, they get narrower and your lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night.

Different people have different signs and symptoms of asthma. Asthma signs and symptoms are also variable - they can change over time or depending on the situation. People with asthma often have one or more these symptoms:
·Wheezing
·Chest tightness
·Coughing
·Feeling short of breath
Asthma Causes
Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds.

Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Still, in others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.

How to exercise with Asthma?

Take your medications as directed. If you're having trouble breathing, you should take your rescue medicine (blue inhaler, for example, Ventolin). Your doctor may also ask you to take your blue rescue inhaler or another bronchodilator fifteen minutes before you exercise.

Warm up and cool down properly

·Before exercising, warm up slowly by walking, stretching, and doing other low-level activities.
·After you've finished exercising, cool down slowly for at least 10 minutes. Don't stop exercising all of a sudden. If you've been running, taper the run to a walking pace. If you've been swimming, finish your swim with a slow paddle. Give your body time to adjust.
If you have symptoms, stop exercising and take your blue rescue inhaler
·Sit up. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve.
·If your symptoms improve a lot, warm up again and slowly go back to exercising.
·If your symptoms don't improve, take another dose of your blue rescue inhaler. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve.
What Are Major Triggers Of Asthma?
There are many factors that can trigger an asthma attack--
·Upper Respiratory Infections
·Weather Changes
·Allergens from dust, molds, pollen, animals, and occasionally food
·Exercise
·Environmental Irritants: such as cigarette smoke, auto exhaust, smog, or cleaners
·Emotions
·Early Morning
·Sulfites
·Certain Medications
The main anti-inflammatory preventer drugs are inhaled corticosteroids. Examples of inhaled corticosteroids are:
·AeroBid; Bronalide (flunisolide)
·Advair (fluticasone + salmeterol)
·Azmacort (triamcinolone) (has a built-in spacer device)
·Beclovent; Vanceril (beclomethasone)