If you have asthma, you know the anxiety of wondering when the next attack will strike. It can be a helpless feeling and fear of another attack may lead you to limit your activities.

Fortunately, you are not nearly as powerless as you may think. Asthma has no cure, but most people can dramatically reduce their odds of an asthma attack. The key is to identify and avoid asthma triggers -- the substances or stimuli that cause your symptoms.

Identifying Your Triggers

Asthma attacks can be triggered by many substances or conditions, and triggers differ from person to person. Some of the most common asthma triggers include allergies, air pollution, viral infections and exercise.

To complicate matters, many people with asthma have more than one trigger. So, you will need a doctor's help to isolate yours. This may include blood or skin testing (especially if allergies are suspected) or keeping a detailed diary. When symptoms occur, the diary can help the doctor find patterns in your behavior or exposures that point to a specific trigger.

For example, if you often start to wheeze during a workout, the doctor may suspect that exercise is a primary trigger of your asthma. However, if the same workout only triggers an attack when you exercise outdoors, then pollution or pollen may be the trigger.

Attacks may start suddenly or take many days to develop. So it may take some time, along with trial and error to identify your triggers. But the payoff is worth the wait. After you know what triggers your symptoms you can take active steps to lessen the impact of asthma on your life.