Asthma is a chronic lung condition in which the airways react by narrowing or obstructing when they become irritated. These narrowed airways make it difficult for the air to move in and out. This narrowing or obstruction can cause one or a combination of the following symptoms: wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness.

Things that can irritate the airways include:

People who have asthma must learn to manage their disease. They do this by eliminating things in their immediate environment that bring on asthma attacks. And they take daily prescription medications to reduce the likelihood of having an attack.

Despite doing everything they are supposed to, people with asthma can still sometimes have an attack. That’s why they usually carry medication in a rescue inhaler like the one pictured here. If the person has an asthma attack, he or she inhales the medication, which opens, or dilates, the airways allowing the person to breathe.