(BlackDoctor.org) — Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic disease that
affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and
out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your
airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-
shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react
strongly to things to which you are allergic or find irritating.
When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows
through to your lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing
(a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness,
and trouble breathing. Asthma cannot be cured, but for most
patients it can be controlled so that you have only minimal and
infrequent symptoms and you can live an active life. So, if you
have asthma, taking care of it is an important part of your
life. Controlling your asthma means staying away from things
that bother your airways and taking medicines as directed by
your doctor. By controlling your asthma every day, you can
prevent serious symptoms