Asthma: A Conventional View

There is no precise definition of asthma, but all experts agree that it is an inflammatory disease of the air conducting tubes in the lung, or the bronchi, characterized by episodes of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. An attack can be caused by a recent trigger, like a cold, exposure to an irritant or a substance you are allergic to. There are many levels of severity of asthma, ranging from exercise-induced asthma (which you can treated by taking medication before exercising), to mild or moderate to severe. In each case there are appropriate treatments, including inhalers, oxygen, and intravenous steroids.