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What to Expect from Treatment?

With treatment, asthma can be controlled, although it cannot be cured. Many people with asthma use medicines prescribed by their doctor to prevent or relieve symptoms, and they can learn how to manage flare-ups. Most people with asthma can gain control of illness and live an active life. Results of treatment include:

  • A Normal Life!
  • A full night sleep without waking up from coughing
  • A clear chest in the morning
  • Ability to go school or to work
  • Ability to play in sports and exercise
  • No side effects from medicines
  • No emergency room visits or hospital stays
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Goals of Treatment

  • Prevent long-term symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath in the early morning, at night or after exercise.
  • Maintain of your near normal lung tests
  • Maintain of your normal activity level
  • Prevent of flare-ups of asthma
  • No need for emergency room and hospital visits
  • Provide the best treatment with the little medications as possible and little or no side effects
  • Satisfy you and your families needs with your asthma care

Effective Treatment Programs

  • Measures of lung function called pulmonary function tests
  • Environmental control/clean-up
  • Medications
  • Routine asthma visits to your doctor

Learning When to Get Help

People who have asthma should have a plan of how to get medical help quickly in case of a severe attack. Having a friend or partner who can help them get to an emergency room or clinic is a good start.

Common Early Warning Signs

  • Feeling of being tired
  • Coughing
  • Throat tightness or chin tightness
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Moodiness
  • Sneezing
  • Breathing changes
  • Headache
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Poor tolerance for exercise
  • Downward trends in peak flow breathing test
  • Dark circles under eyes

What Should I Do During an Attack?

  • Use rescue medications as directed
  • Get help if symptoms do not get better

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if:

  • Your nostrils flare(become larger while breathing in)
  • Your breathing is faster than normal
  • You are restless
  • You cannot take fluid or medication by mouth
  • Medications are not working

Seek Emergency Care

Seek emergency care if you have one or more of these severe symptoms:

  • Difficulty thinking or talking
  • Shortness of breath
  • Hunched shoulders (posturing)
  • Use of your neck area, between or below the ribs moving inward to help breathing, called retractions
  • Gray or blue tint to skin, beginning around your mouth (cyanosis)
  • If you complain of chest pain and become sweaty
  • If you continue to wheeze and breath hard, even though you have used your rescue medicines
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