The first step to living with asthma is in finding the appropriate asthma medication, and following the doctor s orders in regard to taking that medication. Managing asthma through medication is the most popular choice for those living with asthma. Inhalation devices are by far the most popular means of asthma control. Asthma Triggers Asthma doesn t just happen. For the most part, many people live with asthma, unbeknown to the world until something triggers a reaction. Often times they reach for a rescue inhaler, sometimes an attack comes on so fierce they re forced into the triage unit of the emergency room of the nearest hospital. 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. The problem for many people who have asthma is often not first-person smoking, but the second-hand smoke to which they are exposed. For someone who has asthma, being around a smoker is the worst. It's very important to know that living with asthma means living smoke-free - completely. No one who has asthma should be exposed to smoke, at least not on a regular basis. Talk with your doctor about you. Ask him the questions you need to know for your particular case, and keep the channels of communication open. If you have a question, you should always ask. If symptoms feel like they are getting worse, they probably are. Remember; never take heresy or urban legend as fact. ' Symptoms of asthma mean the flow is obstructed as air passes out of the lungs. This happens either because airways become irritated, swollen, or reddened producing mucous. The greater the inflammation, the more sensitive the air passages, the worse and more intense the symptoms. The other cause of symptoms is that the muscles surrounding the airway twitch and tighten, causing the air channel to narrow.