Treating Asthma | Asthma treatment guidelines

Asthma is a common disease that affects the airways and lungs. It presents with difficulty breathing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. You may also have coughing at night and chest tightness, pain, or pressure. Individuals of any age can develop asthma.] Asthma cannot be cured, but controlled, and treatment usually involves prevention, minimizing exposure to triggers, and taking medication control flare-ups.
Managing Asthma
Work with your doctor to develop an Asthma Action Plan. You and your doctor should work together to create a plan that describes the use of your asthma medications, your triggers and how to avoid them, as well as what to do when your asthma is flaring. Everyone will have a different action plan as everyone experiences asthma differently. For instance, if the person suffering from asthma is a student, his action plan would include permission to take his medicine at school. The action plan should include emergency phone numbers, a list of triggers to avoid, flare-up symptoms and what to do when they appear, plus how to prepare before exercise so you don't have an attack.
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Get a prescription
Medication is usually the foundation of asthma treatment. Medication prescribed by your doctor can help keep the disease under control and prevent asthma attacks. There are two types of oral and inhaled asthma medication your doctor may prescribe, and most people take both at the same time: Anti-inflammatories that reduce swelling and mucus in your airways. This can make breathing easier. Bronchodilators that relax the muscles around your airways to improve breathing rate and the amount of oxygen in your lungs.
Use an anti-inflammatory
Oral or inhaled medications that control inflammation can be the most important for a person with asthma. They reduce swelling and mucus in your airways and can help control or prevent asthma symptoms if taken daily. Your doctor might prescribe an inhaled corticosteroid such as fluticasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, or mometasone. It may take daily use over a longer period of time for these medications to have their full effect and they come with few side effects. Your doctor may prescribe leukotriene modifier such as montelukast, zafirlukast, or zileuton to help prevent and relieve symptoms for up to 24 hours. Use these drugs carefully, however, as they are linked to psychological reactions including agitation and aggression. Fortunately, these reactions are rare. Your doctor may also give you a mast cell stabilizer such as cromolyn sodium or nedocromil sodium. For severe symptoms not controlled by other methods, your doctor may prescribe short or long courses of oral steroids. These have more possible side effects, so are only used when other treatments aren't effective or when acute symptoms are severe.
Take a bronchodilator
Bronchodilators come as short- or long-term medications. Short-term bronchodilators, which are often called rescue inhalers, relieve or stop symptoms and can help during attacks. Long-term bronchodilators help control symptoms and prevent attacks. For some people, pre-treating with medication before exercise can reduce asthma symptoms caused by exercise. Your doctor might prescribe a long-acting beta agonist such as salmeterol or formoterol. These can open your airways, but may also increase your risk of a severe asthma attack.