How to Maintain Asthma

Asthma is a chronic illness that affects the lungs by inflammation of the bronchi that temporarily constricts the airways and fills them up with sputum (phlegm), causing shortness of breath, coughing, anxiety, low oxygen levels, and even stoppage of breathing. Attacks can be prevented by avoiding the triggers of your asthma and also consulting with your doctor about an asthma management plan.

Things You'll Need

• Maintenance inhaler (controller)
• Rescue inhaler (fast-acting)
• Maintenance medication

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Instructions

• 1

  Know your triggers to prevent an attack. Common causes are dust, pet dander, and pollen. Avoiding these can help you maintain your asthma and keep it under control. More examples of triggers are mold, stress, cold air, airborne chemicals, food, exercise, the common cold, and the flu. To avoid triggers, use allergy-proof casings for your bedding to prevent exposure to dust mites, maintain humidity levels in your home, and remove any pets that cause symptoms.

• 2

  Visit your physician if you are having asthma symptoms. He will give you a breathing treatment using a nebulizer to help open your airways quickly using albuterol. An at-home nebulizer will be prescribed if you have acute asthma symptoms. A nebulizer allows the patient to inhale the medication in a mist into the lungs. This will help calm your breathing and may cause you to cough out the phlegm. Other medicines used with the device are Proventil and Ventolin, albuterol-based medications.

• 3

  Take the medications your doctor prescribes to help maintain your asthma and prevent symptoms. The controller (long-term medication) will help manage your asthma and keep it at bay. What your doctor may suggest for you is one of three controllers: steroids such as Advair, a white powder that is inhaled into the lungs to prevent triggers entering the bronchi; Atrovent, a bronchodilator; or an antihistamine. Your second prescription will be your rescue inhaler (fast-acting). A rescue inhaler should be used while you're having an asthma attack to quickly calm your airways. ProAir is commonly used as a rescue inhaler because it is albuterol-based. Typically, it is used with a spacer that the doctor will add with the prescription. The spacer is used to help you inhale the medicine instead of having it sprayed directly at your throat. To use your rescue inhaler, attach the open end of the nozzle to the back opening of the spacer. Place your mouth over the mouthpiece of the spacer and breathe out. Press the inhaler down so the medicine shoots out of the nozzle and into the spacer. Inhale deeply and slowly. After waiting about 30 to 60 seconds, repeat the process.

• 4

  Avoid getting sick, if possible. Asthma can turn a common cold into something more severe, causing the lungs to fill up with phlegm and bringing on an attack.