People with asthma often suffer from allergies, too. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, up to 70 percent of those with the respiratory condition are also allergic to things like pollen, dander or even cockroaches.

A new study has found that rates of childhood asthma in New York City often match up to levels of cockroach, cat and mouse allergens found in the home. Published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the report stated that kids living in neighborhoods with the highest asthma rates are more likely to be sensitive to these particles.

Those that lived in areas where asthma is prevalent had a roughly 24 percent chance of being allergic to cockroaches, for instance, while those in low-prevalence neighborhoods had an 11 percent chance.

The team concluded that simply being exposed to these allergens can make children and adults more sensitive to airborne particles.

A number of research groups are looking into natural therapies for asthma. Several years ago, scientists at Imperial College, London, developed an inhalable mist based on resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, dark chocolate and certain herbal supplements. In time, such a method might ease the symptoms of pulmonary disorders, the group said.