The greater the inflammation, the more sensitive the airway is, leading to increased breathing difficulty. Asthma is chronic condition, meaning it needs to be controlled over time. Anyone is susceptible to asthma, though it's usually diagnosed in early childhood Most people living with asthma live healthy, fully active lives. You find yourself gasping for air, sweating, you have unattribuited anxiety, decreased activity level, your reliever medication isn't working, you've even got blue lips or fingernails. You need to get help immediately. Most asthma attacks are not sudden and are readily treatable in the yellow zone or by maintenance using your inhaler and other steroids. These are things that don t usually cause the inflammation that lead to full blown attacks, but can incite clogged airways, not helping the already inflamed passageways. These include things such as smoke, intense cold, other various air pollutants, or chemical fumes. Also instigating are things like exercise, perfumes or other strong smelling substances, or even intense emotions. Cigarettes and other tobacco products should absolutely not be smoked, but taken outside so as not to aggravate asthma symptoms. Asthma sufferers absolutely should not smoke themselves, nor should they be exposed to smoke whenever it s possible. By taking a few extra steps, you can make living with asthma much more manageable. Having breathing troubles shouldn t stop you from living and living with asthma can mean living the life you want to lead, in spite this chronic condition. Learn the facts of your asthma medication. Know how often you should take it, how much is too much, and how much is too little. Your pharmacist can answer any questions you may have about your asthma medication. In the years 1972-1986 Sweden did a poll to see what the trends were with asthma and the elderly and they found that 710,187 hospitalisation days and 62,342 periods of hospital treatment were mainly due to the elderly and asthma. Typical Symptoms Typical symptoms of asthma may mimic Chronic Bronchitis, and Emphysema, colds and allergy.