DESCRIPTION:

Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed. The inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things to which you are allergic or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows through to your lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.

Description from: Medline Plus

RECOMMENDED READING:

The Harvard Medical School Guide To Taking Control Of Asthma: A Comprehensive Prevention and Treatment Plan for You and Your Family
The Asthma Sourcebook
Allergies and Asthma for Dummies
My House Is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families With Allergies and Asthma
American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Allergies and Asthma: Breathing Easy and Bringing Up Healthy, Active Children

LINKS OF INTEREST:

American Lung Association
National Asthma Campaign
Asthma Tutorial - Great Diagram
The American Academy Of Allergy Asthma And Immunology
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
medlineplus
Canadian Lung Association
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America