Living with asthma means living with fresher, cleaner air so that you can breathe easy. Having fresh air isn t so bad, is it? For more information on what you can do to make living with asthma and avoiding asthma attacks much easier, check the Internet and various online communities. A simple Internet search will reveal tons of tips and advice that will make living with asthma a breeze. Exercise as much as you can, and some breathing exercises might help to give relief from the effects of asthma. Asthma Attack Symptoms. Although with asthma you can suffer sometimes more than others, when an asthma attack happens there are certain symptoms to look for these include. A worsening wheeziness, difficulty breathing in and out, pain in your chest or back, Incessant coughing fit, difficulty talking because of lack of breath, blue lips or fingernails, looking pale and sweaty, and you have taken your emergency medication and it does not alleviate the symptoms. Your doctor will no doubt prescribe medicine that will help treat your symptoms, and help prevent the onslaught of an asthma attack. If you have any questions or concerns about your medication, talk to your neighborhood pharmacist or look for information online. Use the resources that you have to learn all your can about asthma, your asthma medication, and what you can do to help you breathe easy in spite of asthma. Look for online message boards, forums, and chat groups where people who have asthma can share thoughts, ideas, and advice. The Internet is a great way to connect with others. There are also lots of resources online, and at public libraries, where it s possible to find more information about living with asthma. 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. Knowing the warning signs you can avoid an attack and you can carry on with every day life. Going to work, school etc. Hereditary If you have a parent that suffers with asthma you are three-six times more likely to develop asthma yourself, more than a person who has no parent with asthma. What is an asthma attack It is caused by the tubes letting air down to your lungs, getting smaller, muscles get tighter and make it difficult to get air down, causing breathlessness, coughing, chest tightness, panic, a blue tinge to the lips.