If you have asthma, there are five important things you should know about the disease:

• You can control your asthma  
  • You don’t need to miss school, sports, or other activities
• Asthma is a disease that makes the airways in your lungs inflamed and swollen
  • During an asthma flare-up (attack), your airways are swollen and sensitive
  • You can control the swelling with medicine, and by staying away from things that bother your airways
• Things that bother your airways are called "triggers"
  • "Triggers" cause asthma flare-ups
  • Smoke, pollen, dust, and exercise can be triggers
  • Every person with asthma has different triggers
  • Learn how to avoid your triggers and prevent flare-ups
  • Medicine taken before exercise can help prevent your asthma from flaring up
• Work with your doctor to manage your asthma
  • Know what to do every day to avoid flare-ups
  • Know what to do right away if you have a flare-up
• If someone you care for or live with has asthma, don’t smoke
  • Smoke is a common trigger and can cause asthma to flare up
  • Network Health can help you quit smoking by connecting you to a stop-smoking program