Asthma basics

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways. When a person is having an asthma attack, the airways narrow and produce extra mucous. As a result, the person has difficulty breathing. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening.

If you have asthma, work with your doctor to create a written asthma action plan (see sample plan). This personalized plan will include instructions for controlling your asthma and guidelines detailing what to do when your symptoms escalate or you have an asthma attack.

Symptoms

Different people have different asthma symptoms, but the most common symptoms include:

• wheezing
• coughing
• shortness of breath
• chest tightness

Sometimes symptoms can be minor, and sometimes they can interfere with your daily activities. Some people experience more symptoms at night, others when they exercise. Whenever your symptoms get worse, be sure to follow your asthma action plan. If following your plan doesn’t help your asthma get better, contact your doctor right away.

Triggers

People with asthma have different “triggers” (things that can cause an asthma attack). Common triggers are:

• colds and upper respiratory infections
• allergens (for people who have both asthma and allergies)
• strenuous exercise (for people with exercise-induced asthma)
• cold air or changes in temperature and humidity
• air pollution and smoke from cigarettes, fireplaces or wood-burning stoves
• certain food preservatives, including various types of sulfites (which are commonly found in wine, shrimp, dried fruit and some processed or prepared foods)
• stress

Not everyone with asthma has all of these triggers. Identifying your triggers is an important step in controlling your asthma. Work with your doctor to find your triggers and list them in your asthma action plan. Then do your best to avoid or reduce your exposure to triggers whenever possible.

Treatment options

Generally, asthma is controlled by avoiding your triggers, tracking your symptoms and taking medication. There are two types of asthma medications: long-term control medicine and quick-relief medicine.

• Long-term control medicine is usually taken daily and is used to prevent asthma attacks by reducing airway inflammation. Some of these medicines also open the airways and reduce mucous production. Most long-term control medicines are taken using an inhaler.
• Quick-relief medicine is used to stop an asthma attack once it’s started. (If you have exercise-induced asthma, your doctor may recommend that you use your quick-relief medicine before a workout.) Most of these “rescue” medicines are inhaled, and provide relief within minutes. Effects last for several hours. In severe cases, oral or intravenous drugs may be needed.

If you have allergies along with asthma, your doctor will likely treat your allergy symptoms as well, which in turn should help reduce your asthma symptoms.

Regardless of the treatments your doctor recommends, it’s important that you follow your treatment plan and monitor your symptoms. Your asthma can change over time, so be sure to continue taking your long-term control medication (if prescribed) even when you are symptom-free.

If your asthma symptoms seem to be getting worse or you regularly need to use your rescue inhaler more often than usual, contact your doctor right away. He/she may need to change the amount or type of long-term control medication you use, or make other adjustments to your treatment plan.

Please note the information shown here is not intended as medical advice for your particular situation. Call your primary care provider for medical advice or if you have any questions.