Keys To Managing Asthma

When you have asthma, you need to take your medicine as your doctor tells you to. But there is more than just taking medicine to manage your asthma.

Here’s a quick look at the four parts of an asthma management plan:

1. Assess and monitor

The first step is an assessment of your condition. That starts with a visit to your doctor. Your doctor will:

• Take a history.


• Do a physical exam.


• Possibly give you a breathing test to see how well your airways are working.

When you have asthma, it’s important to do your part by checking how well your symptoms are controlled.

To learn if your asthma is controlled as well as it could be, take the Asthma Control Test™. Then share these results with your doctor.

2. Medicine

Your doctor will prescribe one or more medicines. In general, there are two types:

• Long-term, or “preventative,” medicines


• Quick-relief, or “rescue,” medicines

3. Try to avoid asthma triggers

Triggers cause asthma symptoms. When you’re near a trigger, your airways tighten. They get more inflamed and swollen.

4. Education

To help you manage your asthma, it’s important to know what asthma is and how it affects your breathing. It also helps to know about asthma medicines and devices. Don’t forget to take the Asthma Control Test™ to learn about your level of asthma control. Always have an Asthma Action Plan in place, in case of an emergency.

Also of Interest

Learn about some of the most common asthma triggers.

Kelsey explains how prevention can make a big difference in managing asthma.