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Asthma causes swelling and inflammation in the airways that lead to your lungs. When asthma flares up, the airways tighten and become narrower. This keeps the air from passing through easily and makes it hard for you to breathe. These flare-ups are called asthma attacks.
Asthma affects people in different ways. Some people have asthma attacks only during allergy season, when they breathe in cold air, or when they exercise. Others have many bad attacks that send them to the doctor often.
Even if you have few asthma attacks, you still need to treat your asthma. The swelling and inflammation in your airways can lead to permanent changes in your airways and harm your lungs.
Two kinds of medicine are used to treat asthma:
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Best Available Evidence
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Last updated on Mar. 25, 2025.