A study on treating asthma with essential oil showed substantial benefits from the use of lavender oil. Over 26 million children and adults in the United States have asthma. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases experienced by children. Many adults also have asthma. Inflamed airways in the lungs cause wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at night or early in the morning. An intensification of symptoms is called an asthma attack. An asthma attack is often triggered by exposure to some type of external air contamination.