I've just finished a Lung Rehab course and they told us that Asthma can lead to Emphysema in the long run.

In Asthma, you have trouble breathing out and can't replace the stale air with O2 rich air. Left untreated, it eventually stresses your lungs to the point that they lose elasticity.

This is what Emphysema is all about. The little air sacs in your lung aren't able to contract anymore and you lose the ability to exchange O2 and CO2.

They taught us a simple breathing trick that I've found invaluable. It's called Purse Lipped Breathing.

The idea is to pucker up like your going to kiss someone. Now, you breath through this pucker. What happens is you create a back pressure and your lungs can empty easier.

It looks funny but you will notice that you can breath easier. I use this technique when I feel breathless and my attacks have lessened quite a bit.

This technique was developed from an old treatment used for Emphysema where you breathed into a small tube submersed in water.

Pursed Lipped Breathing will help anyone who has trouble emptying their lungs. Hope this helps some of you!