British scientists say they have found a new cause of most of the effects caused by asthma.
The cells that line the lining of the airways are destroyed during an asthma attack, their research shows.
Medicines that would prevent this from happening, instead of dealing with the consequences of the attack, could significantly change the situation, King's College London researchers tell the journal Science.
The airways of people with asthma are often sensitive to pollen, pets and exercise, causing them to become inflamed or swollen, causing coughing and shortness of breath.
Existing medications or inhalers can reduce inflammation and help keep the airways open, but frequent attacks can cause permanent damage and narrowing of the airways.
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During an asthma attack, the smooth muscle that surrounds the airways begins to tighten, which is known as bronchoconstriction.
A team from King's College London, using mice and human lung tissue samples, studied this process in detail.
Professor Jodi Rosenblatt says bronchoconstriction damages the lining of the airways, leading to long-term inflammation, wound healing and infections that trigger new attacks.
Until now, damage to that mucous membrane has been neglected, Rozenblat told the BBC.
"It's the body's first line of defense against things like infection, and it gets damaged during an asthma attack, which is then a vicious cycle," says Rosenblatt, lead researcher on the project.
"If we can block the damage, hopefully it could prevent attacks from happening in the first place."
'Desperately needed'
As a potential treatment, scientists are testing the element gadolinium, which seems to help - at least in mice.
However, much more work is needed to see how safe and effective it is in humans, which will take years.
Dr Samantha Walker, director of Asthma and Lung Research UK, said the discovery "opens an important new door to potential new treatment options, which people with asthma desperately need."
It is essential that people with asthma continue to use prescribed medicines correctly, he points out.
In such circumstances, many should continue their daily lives without problems, while those who still have symptoms should talk to a doctor.
"We know that there are many people for whom existing asthma treatments do not work, so it is essential that we continue to fund research to find new medicines that better address the causes of asthma."
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