Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases. When suffering an asthma attack the patient becomes breathless but at other times is completely normal. The word asthma is of Geek origin, meaning panting or short drawn breath. Asthma is sometimes described simply as reversible airway obstruction.

Asthma in the US is higher than in most other countries in the world, but varies between different US populations.

Symptoms

The symptoms of asthma can be mild or even life threatening but can usually be controlled by a combination of drugs, environmental changes and natural remedies.

Asthma sufferers have trouble exhaling air. As passages become clogged and constricted with mucus, they find it difficult to breathe out and begin gasping for breath. The symptoms can become more problematic at night and when asleep.

The onset of an asthma attack can be gradual or abrupt and may be brought on by a particularly bad spell of coughing. A gradual attack is usually brought on by a respiratory infection. A severe asthma attack can cause an increase in the heart rate and leave the patient feeling restless and tired.

During very severe attacks, an asthma sufferer can turn blue from lack of oxygen, and can experience chest pain or even loss of consciousness.

Coughing, tightness of the chest, and sweating are other common symptoms. The wheezing noise made by asthmatics is the air being expelled through the narrowed bronchial tubes.

Causes

There are many factors related to the onset of an asthma attack. For some its a reaction to the weather - damp foggy weather is responsible for many attacks. Drugs, perfumes, and even emotional problems have all been known to bring on an asthma attack.

Allergies to dust is a common cause, so is animal hair, insects and different types of food. Sometimes the disease is hereditary. In many cases where parents have asthma, children will also suffer.

Treatment

There is no cure, but drugs and vaccinations can give temporary relief to symptoms, although they can be habit forming and increased dosages can damage the immune system and make asthma worse.

Natural Remedies

With the proper use of prevention remedies, asthmatics can avoid the complications that result from overuse of relief drugs and medications.

There is a lot that you can do through natural methods to support easier breathing if you suffer from asthma. Herbs have been used for hundreds of years to promote respiratory health. They can be taken internally or inhaled and they can play an important part in helping to maintain open air passages and make breathing more easy, while also soothing the nerves.

When used as part of a wider, holistic lifestyle management, herbal approaches to respiratory health and support can be extremely effective. Most of these natural remedies are non addictive and produce no lasting side effects that many prescription medicines often cause.