Exercise
Give yourself a break -- or two. Dr. Firshein advises everyone with asthma to engage in regular moderate exercise. "It strengthens the lungs, which helps prevent asthma symptoms," he explains. He prefers what he calls pulsed exercise-brief workouts with rest periods in between. The breaks help prevent exercise-induced asthma attacks. Dr. Firshein's exercise of choice is tennis, but he also swims and takes aerobics classes.
Apply ice as necessary. In one study, two-thirds of people with back pain reported significant relief after using an ice pack. "Wrap some ice cubes or an ice pack in a towel and lay it over the sore area for 20 minutes," advises Anne Simons, M.D. "Remove the ice for 10 minutes, then repeat." Continue until your pain subsides.