According to the
CDC, about 1 in 13 people have asthma. That means it affects more than 25 million people. In 2010, 1.8 million people visited the emergency department for asthma related care and more than 439,000 people were hospitalized because of asthma. Finding your asthma triggers and receiving proper medical care can provide asthma relief overtime. It can reduce emergency visits, hospitalization and premature death.
To control asthma, work with your allergist and take an active role in:
- Treating other conditions that can interfere with asthma management
- Avoiding things that worsen your asthma
- Taking medications per your doctor’s direction to control your asthma
Asthma medications
Asthma medicines come in two forms: long-term control and quick-relief. Many asthma sufferers need to take long-term control medicines daily to help control and find asthma relief. The most effective long-term asthma medicines reduce airway inflammation and prevent asthma symptoms. They help reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks, but they don’t help while having an asthma attack. Quick-relief, or "rescue," medicines relieve asthma symptoms during an attack. These medicines act quickly to relax tight muscles around your airways allowing air to flow through them.
Finding the right asthma treatments and asthma medications will go a long way in helping find asthma relief. Asthma cannot be cured, but with proper treatments, it can be triggered less. To talk more about controlling your asthma symptoms or to discuss if asthma medications are right for you, schedule an appointment with an allergist.