I am 23 and noticed breathing issues a few years ago. I was in college at the time and didn't want to go to the doctor because I didn't have trouble breathing, I just didn't have as much breath as I thought I should have (and as I remembered having in High School).
 
After chest pains a few weeks ago, my worried and sweet wife convinced me to go to the doctor. After some pulmonary tests, EKG (to make sure the chest pains were not my heart) and X-rays (no heart swelling, thank goodness) the doctor said I had mild asthma and put me on Advair. It's been a week now, and if anything my chest hurts MORE. It's still not too bad, but I definitely don't feel any better.
I don't have major asthma attacks, but I do wake up sometimes with slight breathing issues and need to get a drink of water and cough a few times to go back to sleep. I also get a tight and painful chest (normally on the left side, but this morning on the right) sometimes.

What can I expect from the medicine and what’s the best way?

Thanks in advance!

Your doctor may prescribe things for you to use against what seems to be mild asthma which 
may not be too good for you in the long run. The Buteyko method is proven, safe and very 
effective. The book Close Your Mouth and ABC to be asthma free are self help books to teach 
yourself the Buteykjo clinic method. They are available from www.amazon.com for USA and 
amazon.co.uk for UK and other countries. Patrick McKeown a renowned practitioner teaches 
many other natural clinic methods at his site It will be well worth your time.

Different asthmatics suffer from different severity levels of asthma, which are: mild, moderate, severe and brittle. Your condition as diagnosed, i.e. “Mild Asthma” is generally a seasonal condition. Is that how it is in your case?

Breathlessness that you complain of is of course a symptom. Chest tightness and pain are tell-tale signs as well. However, the nagging pain must be thoroughly checked out.

The treatment prescribed by your doctor would be to alleviate the symptoms that you told him about. Understand your condition thoroughly and learn to live with it and half the battle will be won. Do whatever, don't ignore your medical concern as asthma is a changeable condition, and mild asthma if not taken care of can get severe over time. Perhaps you should have gone to the doctor way back in college!

Take precautions:- Don't exert yourself. Avoid smoke, cold, exposure to strong chemicals, infections, and allergens. Take your prescribed preventive medicines even if you feel alright. Keep your doctor updated. Asthma does not have a cure. The medicines can of course, help alleviate the uneasiness and the trouble caused by symptoms.

I also came across a study that cites that treatment for mild asthma may improve everyday lung function. This works in case of patients who experience the symptoms of mild asthma as less as once a week and do not feel the necessity of preventer medication.

There is no single approach for all patients suffering with mild asthma. A treatment regimen has to be chosen for individual patients. Speak to your doctor about not continuing with "cookbook medicine" (one size fits all) for your asthma therapy. Once your asthma is well-controlled, your doctor must step down your therapy.