An asthma attack causes a child or an adult to be racked by uncontrolled, tight coughing.  With a heaving, distended chest, neck muscles straining, and eyes showing alarm verging on panic, the person can utter only a few brief words between rasping, wheezing, frantic efforts to breathe.

This poor person puts an inhalation device in his or her mouth and inhales a few times.  Within minutes, remarkably, the asthma attack is over. Breathing returns to normal.  The person can go back to school or work or even jogging...until the next asthma attack, which might be hours or even months away.

Asthma attacks are often milder than this description; just a shortness of breath or some wheezing that soon passes without treatment. However, an asthma attack can also be much, much worse, requiring a hurried trip to the hospital for emergency...even lifesaving care.

Even in severe cases, hospital treatment usually enables asthma attack patients to regain near-normal breathing.  But not always.  There are many asthma related deaths reported each year. Most of these deaths occurred in patients who misjudged the severity of symptoms or failed to reach a hospital or clinic in time to prevent respiratory failure.

Although African-Americans make up less than 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for nearly 22 percent of deaths due to asthma attacks, according to the American Lung Association.

• The breathing tubes in your lungs swell up
• The muscles around these tubes tighten
• The tubes make large amounts of a thick fluid called mucus

• Tightness or pressure in the chest
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Wheezing - a whistling sound when exhaling
• Coughing - dry cough, especially at night or in response to specific triggers
• Shortness of breath after exercise
• Lingering chest colds

People with asthma who learn to spot the early signs of an attack can take medicine right away. This may make the attack less severe.

The most important thing to know about asthma is that it can be controlled.  Asthma patients (or their parents) who learn what medicine to take and what triggers their asthma attacks can avoid them or minimize them most of the time.  That means people with asthma can lead normal lives.

Many types of medicine can treat asthma.  Keep in mind that no one medicine works best for everyone.  You and your doctor must work together to find the best medicine or combination of medicines. There are also some very effective natural asthma remedies available.

Lots of things set off asthma attacks.  These things are called triggers. Some triggers are things to which people are often allergic.  Common ones are pollen (from trees, grass and flowers) and pet dander (skin flakes from cats, dogs, and other pets).

Also, some people are allergic to pests such as roaches, rodents, or dust mites.  Dust mites are tiny spiders that you can't see.  They live everywhere - in carpets, upholstered furniture, stuffed animals, and bedding.

Cigarette smoke is another common trigger of asthma attacks.  Other triggers have nothing to do with allergies such as cold weather, exercise, or strong emotions like laughing and crying.  If someone in your home smokes you may want to get an air cleaner or air purifier.

• Dust
• Mold
• Cleaning products like furniture polish or dusting sprays
• Personal care products like hair spray or perfume
• Flu and colds