You can control your asthma by knowing the warning signs of an asthma episode. By staying away from things that trigger an attack and following advice of your physician, you can prevent an asthma attack.
If you are suffering from asthma you are not alone. Asthma affects more than 24 million Americans, including both children and adults. The condition interferes with the daily life which limits the activities of asthma sufferers. There is no asthma cure, but it can be controlled and managed by making simple lifestyle changes and by using regular asthma medications. You should work with your physician and help him/her in making an asthma management plan. For this, it is necessary that you inform your physician about your asthma symptoms and their impact in your life as well as the things that you think triggers your condition. Triggers are the things that give rise to asthma symptoms and make your condition worse.
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Asthma Management
Work with your physician to manage Asthma
You don’t have to manage your asthma alone though. The involvement of a physician is very important to work closely to manage your asthma on a routine basis. No one knows better than the asthma sufferers how their body is feeling on a regular basis, but the physician knows best how to help you get rid of those frustrating attacks of asthma and keep your condition under control. You must discuss the treatment goals with your physician. Inform him/her about your current asthma condition on a regular basis. Working together with your physician to control asthma is necessary to achieve goals.
Follow a written action plan
The first thing that you and physician need to do is make a written asthma action plan. This plan will help you in managing your asthma on a regular basis and recognizing worsening asthma. Therefore, it is very important to understand the plan completely and the right way to use it. An asthma action plan should include:
- The type of medicine you are taking for controlling your asthma
- How much to take
- When to take
- How to take
- What to do, if they cause any side effect
- Note things that trigger your condition
- How to identify asthma symptoms
- How to handle if your condition worsens
- What are the signs you need to keep an eye on
- How to adjust your medications if a symptom develop
- W hen to seek medical attentions
Asthma Medications
A majority of people those who are suffering from asthma requires two kinds of asthma medicines namely long term control and quick relief medications for a good asthma care.
Long term medications-These medications are for long term use to control the inflammation in the airways in your lungs which prevents an asthma attack. Such medications work slowly once and are meant to be taken for several day, weeks, or months to make you feel better. In case it won’t work, inform your physician, he/she may increase the dose or add another medication for a better asthma treatment. Once your condition is under control, your physician may reduce the dose or cut down some of the medications. The most effective long term medications are the anti-inflammatory medicines, which are known to reduce the inflammation in your airways. These medicines make your airways less likely to react to your asthma triggers.
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Quick relief medications- Asthma sufferers can take these medications to get immediate relief. Everyone who is suffering from asthma needs to take quick relief medication to stop asthma symptoms before they get worse. The most effective quick relief medications are inhaled acting beta agonist which works by relaxing tightened muscles around your airways to allow more air to flow through.
