As with most conventional drugs, when one truly considers the side-effects that the drugs may have, it makes one wonder if they are even worth being prescribed and used both by the medical fraternity and vulnerable patients. For asthma treatment, this is no exception. Having suffered from asthma personally from the age of 7 (well, that’s the first time I remember having an attack) to about 7 years ago, I can say first hand that I strongly think most asthma medications just may not be worth the use. The first time I was told “Hey, there is no cure for asthma”, I remember thinking as a child: “What, do you mean to tell me if someone playfully pats me on the back, or if I laugh hard at something, I’d have to always be scared of an asthma attack?” Thank God…they were wrong. Asthma is indeed curable and with inexpensive and common-sense methods at that. Moreover, when one discovers how, one actually may view most common asthma medications as laughable propaganda hyped up to make a buck at the vulnerable and desperate sufferers of this respiratory disease. Now friends, Ventolin as an inhaler or oral medication, is arguably the most prescribed from of medication for asthma control. However, studies have indicated that this drug might actually cause more harm than good in regards to asthma treatment. Since no two humans are alike, symptoms of these side effects do vary from patient to patient, nonetheless here are some of the side effects as revealed by research in writing this article and perhaps it may steer the applicable to consider other ways of coping with this respiratory disorder naturally. The side effects of this popular drug include: 1. Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor) 2. Nervous tension 3. Headache 4. Faster than normal heart beat (tachycardia) 5. Awareness of your heart beat (heart palpitations) 6. Muscle cramps 7. Low blood potassium level (hypokalaemia) 8. Unexpected narrowing of the airways (paradoxical bronchospasm) The side effects listed above may not include all of the ones reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, you can always look at what the drug manufacturers have indicated on the package itself. At this point, it leaves the question of what alternative treatments of asthma can be used and are there any at all. Indeed there are and although that’s another subject into itself, what worked for me (and is in effect in the "Breath Retaining Program for Asthmatics" developed by the Russian, Dr. Buteyko) was a drastic change in my diet, some mild breathing exercises as akin to Yoga (I picked this physical culture up as a therapeutic means of building fitness after years of having to be indoors) and other common sense methods such as avoiding excessive cold, dust and the like. However, the last steps are more of preventive measures more than anything. Breathing is the very essence of living, asthma need not be a barrier any longer in your existence and you need not use side-effect laden drugs at that to curb it. There are successful methods of treating your asthma out there. Since they worked for me and several others who have used them, chances are they can work for you. Here’s to breathing freer.