Asthma is a condition that causes people to have difficulty breathing. This can manifest itself as wheezing, shortness of breath, or labored breathing. Asthma is caused by a narrowing of the airways in the lungs, which forces the body to work harder to pass enough air through the bronchioles. There is no cure for asthma, although many sufferers carry inhalers that cause the airways to relax and ease breathing.

Managing Asthma

Often, people with asthma start to build up a tolerance to their inhalers. This results in stronger doses that may have side effects, or in rotation of medications. Because of these consequences, some people try to avoid using their inhaler except in serious emergencies. If you have been prescribed an inhaler, you should always carry it. Even if you supplement your treatment with natural medicine, you should always have the inhaler at hand.

Many people supplement an inhaler with prevention and natural medicine. A lot of people know what triggers their asthma attacks, and avoid those things. Known triggers include stress, cold air, aspirin, dust mites, pollen, or even exercise. By tailoring their lifestyles to minimize triggers, many asthmatics can greatly reduce their suffering. In addition, you can use some natural medicine to take care of weaker attacks.

The key to stopping an asthma attack is to re-open the airways. This is done by relaxing the passages that carry air in the lungs. Hot liquids of all kinds help with this, and a small dose of caffeine can stop a mild attack. Herbs like sage, thyme, chamomile and eucalyptus all have strong smells that relax the airways. These herbs can be taken as teas or sniffed as oils, but should not be used in an emergency--use an inhaler if you're ever unsure.