Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "ciwon asma" yana nufin mummunan cutar asma mai tsanani kuma mai tsanani, yanayin numfashi na yau da kullum wanda ke da kumburi da kuntatawar hanyoyin iska. A yayin harin asma, mutum na iya fuskantar wahalar numfashi, numfashi, tari, danne kirji, da kuma karancin numfashi. Harin na iya haifar da abubuwa daban-daban, kamar rashin lafiyan jiki, cututtuka na numfashi, motsa jiki, damuwa, ko fallasa ga abubuwan ban haushi kamar hayaki ko gurɓatawa. Jiyya don harin asma ya ƙunshi amfani da magungunan gaggawa na gaggawa, irin su bronchodilators, don buɗe hanyoyin iska da rage kumburi. A lokuta masu tsanani, ana iya buƙatar kulawar likita na gaggawa.