Asthma is a disease of airways which affects all age groups. People with asthma have difficulty in breathing, cough and chest tightness. These symptoms aggravate early in the morning and in cold climate.

World Asthma Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of May, to generate awareness among public. Asthma is on rise in developing countries like India due to industrialisation and increase of pollution.

Asthma may run in families or may even occur sporadically. There are different types of asthma and the most common among them is atopic asthma also known as allergic asthma, work-related asthma, exercise-induced asthma and stress-related asthma, Dr. K.S. Phaneendra Kumar, consultant pulmonologist, KIMS ICON Hospital, said in statement.

Generally asthma is triggered by certain things like dust, food, drugs and even stress. Status asthamaticus is an emergency situation, where the patient cannot breathe due to complete obstruction of airways. It is mostly neglected in the initial stages with mild symptoms, but later, if not properly treated it may progress and it is very difficult to treat.

Asthma can be diagnosed with a simple non-invasive test called spirometry, he added.