Living smoke-free isn't as difficult as it may sound. There are many products available today that control the craving for cigarettes, and your doctor can even prescribe aids that will help you kick any existing smoking habit. The problem for many people who have asthma is often not first-person smoking, but the second-hand smoke to which they are exposed. Once the home and work place are relatively free of dust, dander, and smoke, living with asthma is almost exactly like living without asthma. Some sufferers may experience more symptoms on high-pollen days. It s best to stay indoors if possible, with the air conditioner circulating, if you have asthma and pollen irritates your condition. Asthma is caused by the tubes that help you breath becoming swollen and inflamed, therefore causing them to tighten up and leave less room for air to get to the lungs. Which in turn causes breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing. Asthma can also appear as various other illnesses, namely pneumonia, bronchitis, allergies, and of course the common cold. 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. It s even more sad that cat and dog dander is one of the biggest causes for reactionary symptoms in asthmatics. But here is the news, no matter how unhappy to read, to separate urban legend from fact. A common misconception is that only fur or feathers is what cause a reaction in those susceptible to asthma. Asthma Triggers Smoke should be banned from the home of an asthmatic as it can bring on an attack. Dust mites, you can by protective mattress covers and pillow covers that will block the dust mites from you. Pollution from car and industry emission in built up areas, air pollution when air quality is low asthma attacks go up.