But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org , the AAFP patient education Web site. An article on this topic is available in this issue of AFP . Asthma is a disease of the airways in the lungs. You can get asthma at any age.
People can have asthma for many years.
Often, more than one person in a family has asthma. But when you have an asthma attack, less air can get in and out of the lungs. You'll cough and wheeze. Your chest feels tight. The airways get squeezed.