5 Things You Need to Know About Asthma Treatments

1. Live a Normal Life

Just because you have asthma doesn't mean your quality of life needs to suffer. With proper asthma treatments, you can expect to participate fully in work, school and sports. You will also be able to sleep through the night and experience a decrease in asthma-related symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and tightness of chest. Treating asthma will reduce the number of unscheduled visits to the doctor's office and hospital and allow you to maintain near-normal lung function.

2. Breathe Freely

Doctors divide asthma medications into two groups. Quick relief, or rescue, medications are what patients use to relieve the symptoms of a sudden asthma attack. Long term, or preventative, medications are primarily for patients with persistent asthma to use as a means of preventing an attack from happening. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), a preventative medication, targets the lungs directly and helps to minimize swelling, improve lung function and prevent overall symptoms of asthma. ICS are the preferred preventative medications, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Bronchodilators are also a preventative medication that reduce airway constriction and improve lung function.

3. Choose Your Device

There are several types of devices that patients can use to deliver their asthma medications. Patients have used metered-dose inhalers for years and they are probably the most recognizable. For those patients who have trouble inhaling the medication while pressing down on the inhaler, they can use a device called a spacer. Spacers fit on the end of the inhaler and they eliminate the need for the coordinated press-inhale action. A patient simply fits the spacer on the end of the inhaler, puts it to her mouth, presses the inhaler and breathes in. Dry-powder inhalers work like metered-dose inhalers; however, there is no need to inhale while pressing down on the inhaler. Doctors prescribe nebulizers for people who cannot work an inhaler, primarily the young, elderly or those who are ill. Nebulizers deliver a fine mist of medication through either a face mask or a tube. The disadvantage of nebulizers is that they can be bulky and expensive.

4. Treat the Triggers

Aside from using medication to treat the symptoms of asthma, some doctors also choose to treat any underlying medical conditions that can provoke an attack. These alternative therapies may include allergy testing, allergy shots and getting the vaccine against the flu and pneumonia. Likewise, some patients try herbal remedies to treat asthma. However, you should always tell your doctor about any over the counter and homeopathic remedies you take, as they can have adverse reactions with your prescribed medication. Still, there are things that you can do to reduce your chances of having an attack. Keep your house dust-free, replace carpeted floors with wood and purchase leather or vinyl furniture instead of upholstered.

5. Doctor-Patient Relationship is Key

The most important aspect of asthma treatment, however, is the relationship with your doctor. Keep a diary that lists the frequency, severity and causes of your asthma attacks and ask your doctor to periodically test your lung function and reevaluate your medications. If you and your doctor work together, you can receive the best care possible.