According to the CDC, about one in 13 people have asthma. That means it affects more than 25 million people. And, it is a leading chronic disease in children; there
are about 5.1 million children under the age of 18 with asthma. Even though asthma is controllable, it is estimated that 50% of children with asthma have uncontrolled asthma. Finding your or your child’s asthma triggers and receiving proper
medical care can provide asthma relief over time. 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.
When to look for other treatment options
At some point, you may find that your asthma treatments are not working as well as they used to. Here are some warning signs that you may need to talk to an allergist about changing your or your child’s treatment plan.
- A rescue inhaler is needed two or more times per week.
- You experience nighttime breathing difficulty at least twice per month.
- You use more than two rescue inhalers per year or require treatment with oral steroids two or more times per year.
- The condition is disrupting your quality of life.
Schedule an allergy evaluation:
Green Bay, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan and Sturgeon Bay: (920) 431-1964
Altoona: (715) 717-6275