Environmental Research Foundation . . P.O. Box 5036, Annapolis, MD 21403 . .
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To subscribe, E-mail the words . . During an asthma attack, the tissues lining the windpipe swell, closing off the airways and leaving the person feeling as if he or she is drowning, which is pretty much the case. Asthma is characterized by wheezing, but more importantly by difficulty exhaling, which leaves stale air in the lungs, depriving the person of oxygen. The underlying causes of asthma are not understood but doctors do know some of the things that trigger it in susceptible individuals. These should be avoided as much as possible.