Managing your asthma

Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs and can make it hard to breathe. The good news is that in most cases, it can be easily treated and managed. But treatment can be costly if asthma is not managed effectively. When asthma is properly managed with medications, it can help keep costs down and reduce the risk of trips to the emergency room or hospital. By following your treatment plan, you can manage your asthma and focus on the things you care about.

Manage asthma with medication

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking your asthma medicine to help keep your asthma under control and prevent asthma attacks.

There are two types of asthma medication:

• Quick-relief medications, such as inhalers, which can help control the symptoms of an asthma attack
• Long-term control medications, which can help you have fewer and milder attacks, but don’t help when you’re having an asthma attack

If you find that you need to use quick-relief medications frequently, your doctor may recommend a long-term control medication.

Avoid asthma attack triggers

In addition to managing your asthma, avoiding triggers can help you avoid an asthma attack.

Here are some common triggers that cause asthma attacks:

• Tobacco smoke
• Dust mites
• Air pollution
• Pests, such as insects and mice
• Pets
• Mold
• Fumes from disinfectants and cleaning products
• Respiratory infections

Not everyone will have the same triggers for asthma, so make sure to note what triggers seem to cause a reaction for you so you can avoid them in the future.

Talk to your doctor

Make sure to take your asthma medication exactly as your doctor recommends. Create an asthma action plan with your doctor so you know what to do when you feel like you’re about to have an asthma attack. Also, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and medications. Your doctor can determine if you need to change medications to manage your asthma effectively.