Teenagers Teenagers may have the view that asthma interferes with their life, making them different from their friends. They have to accept that their asthma is only a little portion of their life not the whole of it. They can fit their medication into a daily plan that still lets them carry on their life. 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. There are many types of asthma but the medical definition is "a disease of the windpipe (bronchial tubes) which carry air to and from the lungs." Asthma has no set diagnosis; the journey from first warning sign symptoms to a full blown diagnosis of asthma is long and complicated. Symptoms usually: 1) Vary from person to person. In order to minimize side effects, watch for your doctor to give you the lowest doses to control your symptoms. While it may takes some experimentation to find the correct amount, it is better than your body rejecting too much of the medication with possibly bad side effects. Over time it is more than likely your needs will change. For adults or adolescents, there are often other factors at play, but infants who cough to the point of vomiting should get immediate attention from a doctor. That is a very big indicator of asthma and should be checked out post haste. Other things need be ruled out from anyone who thinks they may have asthma are heart disease, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Even reading the stories and thoughts of others can make asthma seem much easier. There are many, many people with asthma out there it s a very large club. Just knowing you are not alone makes living with asthma seem a whole lot easier, so seek out information and read up on asthma. Understanding asthma is an important step to living with asthma.