With every breath you take, your lungs pull air and oxygen into your body.
Then the lungs push carbon dioxide out of your body.
This all happens inside a complex system of tubes, airways, and tiny air sacs within the lungs.
But when asthma flares up, it can be hard to breathe.
Here's what happens.
The air you breathe can have all sorts of things floating in it, including dust, pet dander, pollen, chemicals, and smoke.
And when you breathe in these things, your lungs react by becoming irritated and inflamed.
This irritation and inflammation causes your airways to narrow.
Other things—like cold air, having a cold or the flu, stress, and exercise—can also trigger the lungs and airways to become inflamed and tighten.
And that's why your chest may feel tight.
And why it can be hard to breathe, or why you may cough or wheeze.
Asthma is treated with medicines to help you breathe easier.
The medicines can help you in a few ways.
They can prevent or reduce inflammation and help relax and open the airways.
Treatment also includes self-care by avoiding your triggers, such as smoke, dust, and pet dander.
An asthma action plan helps you know what makes your asthma worse and how to avoid those things.
It also tells you what asthma medicine to take every day.
And it explains what to do when you have trouble breathing.
And that'll make it easier for air to travel freely through your airways, so you can feel better, breathe easier, sleep well, and keep doing the activities you enjoy.
Now you know more about what asthma does in your lungs and what you can do to feel better and breathe easier.
Take care of yourself.
And if you have any questions, you can always talk to your doctor.
