1. Prevent Attacks With Corticosteroids
Your doctor will likely give you an inhaler or corticosteroids in pill form as a preventative measure to help ward off asthma attacks. The purpose of these medicines is to inhibit your body's production of the chemicals that cause lung inflammation and trigger your asthma attacks. In the long run, you'll probably prefer the inhaled versions of corticosteroid treatments. They have a localized action in your body that's confined only to your lungs. Taking corticosteroids in pill form increases your chances of experiencing more severe side effects.
2. Treat Acute Episodes With Bronchodilators
To treat your sudden attacks, you can use bronchodilator drugs. These substances are formulated to relax the muscles in your air passageways, which seize and tighten during an asthma attack. This allows you to increase the volume of your airflow very rapidly. Bronchodilators are available in several varieties, including long-acting forms that are used to help people with severe asthma. They are also available in pills, which release the active ingredients more slowly, providing long-term relief that's useful in preventative therapy.
3. Use Antiallergic Drugs
Unlike antihistamines, which seek to cancel out your body's natural histamine production to treat allergy symptoms, anti-allergic drugs have properties that neutralize inflammation. Your doctor may give you these drugs as a preemptive means of controlling asthma attacks before they start. Keeping inflammation in your lungs to a minimum helps you breathe with greater ease.
4. Block out Leukotrienes
Your body produces natural chemicals called leukotrines, which can cause inflammation in your air passageways. Ask your doctor about leukotrine modifiers as a way to control your asthma symptoms, as these drugs neutralize your body's production of leukotrines, helping keep your lungs open to a greater volume of air.
5. Manage Asthma Naturally
A number of home remedies can also help you control and manage your symptoms and attacks. Many asthmatics swear by breathing in steam from hot water during an attack, to heat up air passageways and cause them to expand. You can also try drinking a hot beverage if you feel an attack coming on to accomplish the same goal. Ginseng, wild licorice, selenium, omega-3 essential fatty acids and a smattering of vitamins, including B6, B12, C and E can also be used to reduce inflammation and promote better breathing. Talk to your doctor if you want to learn more about ways to manage your asthma naturally.
