text: Asthma attack:\nSevere wheezing when breathing both in and out\nCoughing that won't stop\nVery rapid breathing\nChest pain or pressure\nTightened neck and chest muscles, called retractions\nDifficulty talking\nFeelings of anxiety or panic\nPale, sweaty face\nBlue lips or fingernails \nRecognizing Asthma Triggers \nAsthma triggers are everywhere in our environment: indoors, outdoors and in the very air we breathe. Identifying triggers, however, is not always simple. It usually involves a process of elimination. A good place to start is a consultation with your doctor. Ask for guidance. Your doctor may recommend a skin test for allergies.\n\nA vast range of triggers can set off symptoms of asthma. Chief culprits include dust mites, air conditioning (which cycles offending substances into the air we breathe) and cat dander. Individual asthmatics, however, tend to have their own "red-alert" triggers.\n\nCommon Allergic Asthma Triggers\nThe following is a partial list of common asthma triggers:\n\nalcohol \nair conditioning \nanimal saliva and urine \natmospheric ozone \nbetel-nuts \nbird, dog and cat dander \nchemicals (e.g., hexachlorophene, formalin, ethylene diamine) \ncockroaches \ncold air \ncolds and upper respiratory tract infections \ndrugs (especially aspirin, cimetidine, antibiotics, beta blockers) \ndust mites & their droppings \nemotional upset \nexertion (especially if strenuous and in cold air) \nfood additives or preservatives (e.g., tartrazine, sulfur dioxide) \nfungal spores \nfumes (e.g., paint) \ngastroesophageal reflux (GERD) \ngum acacia \nhair particle proteins \nhigh humidity \nkapok and feather fillers (e.g., in pillows and cushions) \nmetals (e.g., cobalt, platinum, nickel) \nnuts \nplastics \nPVC \nragweed pollen (particularly in the U.S.) \nrubber \nsawdust (especially oak, boxwood and cedar wood dust) \nshellfish \nsmoke pollution \nsolvents \nstress \nstrong odors \ntemperature/humidity changes \ntobacco \ntree and grass pollens. \n\n\nCommon cold:\nThe symptoms of a common cold include sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, sore or scratchy throat, cough, hoarseness, and mild general symptoms like headache, feverishness, chilliness, and not feeling well in general.\nCold symptoms are due mainly to the body's response to the infection. When a nasal cell is infected by a cold virus, the body responds by activating parts of the immune system and some nervous system reflexes.\nColds last on average for one week. Mild colds may last only 2 or 3 days while severe colds may last for up to 2 weeks.