Asthma

Asthma is an illness where the cells lining the insides of the bronchial tubes (the tubes going into the lungs) swell up and not enough air can get into the lungs. Lots of things can set off an asthma attack, like cigarette smoke, some drugs, and infections like colds and the flu.

There is no cure for asthma, but attacks can be prevented by avoiding the things that set them off (like smoke, pets, or dust). There are also some medications that can be taken that cause the bronchial tubes to loosen up.

It is possible to live quite happily with asthma, and about three million Canadians have it.

For additional information, check out the Canadian Lung Association's web site.