Treatment

Asthma cannot be cured, but in most cases, it can be controlled. It can be controlled by:

By controlling your asthma every day, you will be able to participate in normal daily activities, have fewer attacks, and experience fewer asthma symptoms.

 

Step One

One of the first steps in controlling your asthma is to work with your doctor to create an Asthma Action Plan. This plan will help you and others know how to take and adjust medications as asthma conditions change.

View an example of an Action Plan from the American Academy of Family Physicians. (pdf file)
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The action plan should list the medications you are currently taking. It should outline the factors that indicate you are having a problem with your asthma and what steps should be taken to bring your asthma back under control. There are typically 3 zones in any asthma action plan:

  • Green zone - explaining what to do to maintain your asthma control

  • Yellow or Orange zone - explaining what to do if you are bothered by symptoms

  • Red zone - explaining what to do in case of a severe attack

An action plan should also include your local emergency medical services (EMS) phone number, and the nearest family relative who should be contacted in case of an emergency.

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Step Two

The second step in properly controlling your asthma is to take your asthma medications as directed. Your medicine may be inhaled or come in pill form. Be sure to inform your doctor of all of the medicines you are taking, including herbal remedies, vitamins, and over-the-counter medicines, because they may interfere with asthma medications or they may even cause asthma attacks.

Asthma medications fall into two basic categories:

  • Quick Relief
    Also known as rescue inhalers, these medicines treat your symptoms within minutes, and they can help you minimize symptoms that may lead to an asthma attack. These medicines work quickly, but their effects only last a short time. They should only be used as needed, and people suffering from asthma should always carry quick relief medicine with them at all times. An example of a quick relief medication is a fast-acting bronchodilator.

  • Long-term Control
    These medicines should be taken every day. They help to control your asthma, and the full effects will not be felt for several weeks after you have begun taking them. Unlike the quick relief inhalers, they will not help you if you are having an asthma attack. There are many types of long-term control medications, and each one is prescribed for patients depending upon asthma severity classification. An example of a long-term control medication is an inhaled corticosteroid. It is important to note that the steroids used for asthma are not the same as the unsafe steroids some take to build muscle.

The type of steroids used to control asthma should be inhaled using a spacer or valved holding chamber to allow the medicine to completely fill your lungs and to help avoid side effects, like thrush, that some users may experience. View spacers and holding chambers available from Respironics.

Many people who have asthma require both a quick relief and a long-term control medicine to control their asthma. If you're unable to use an inhaler, a nebulizer (pronounced NEB-u-li-zer) may be an option. Nebulizers work by converting asthma medications into a mist and delivering it through a mask that you wear over your nose and mouth. View nebulizers available from Respironics.

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Step Three

The third step in controlling your asthma is to monitor your breathing on a regular basis. To do that, you should use a peak flow meter. You should use it every day, and record your score. View an example of a simple peak flow record chart

By checking the peak flow measurement daily, you can predict and prevent asthma attacks before they happen. If your peak flow meter shows a change in your breathing, you should follow your asthma action plan. View products available from Respironics to help you track your asthma.

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