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Taking charge of your asthma

During an asthma attack, the airways swell and narrow. This makes it hard to breathe. Asthma is a lifelong problem, but it does not have to limit you. If you take charge of your asthma, you can lead a full and active life.

There are two parts to taking charge of asthma:

    * Controlling asthma over the long term. You and your doctor can make a daily treatment plan that helps reduce the swelling of your airways and prevent attacks. Using a daily treatment plan also helps you keep track of your asthma and know how well your treatment is working.
    * Treating attacks when they occur. An asthma action plan can help you prevent and treat attacks.

If you or your child has been recently diagnosed, it may seem like there is a lot to remember. But the things you need to do to take charge of your asthma are really quite simple. With some practice, they will become part of your normal routine.

What do you need to take charge of your asthma?

There are a few tools you can use to keep track of your asthma and know how well your treatment is working. Keeping track of your asthma lets you act quickly to stop an attack before it becomes an emergency. Your doctor and asthma educator can help you make the plans and learn the skills you need.

A daily treatment plan tells you what controller medicine to take every day and when to take it. Controller medicine is usually an inhaled corticosteroid. Taking your controller medicine every day helps reduce the swelling of your airways and prevent attacks.

Your treatment plan may also include:

    * A list of your asthma triggers—the things that make your asthma worse. Avoiding triggers can help you keep your asthma under control.
    * Treatment goals. Having personal goals can help motivate you to follow your plan. For example, goals might include being symptom-free at night or being able to play sports.
    * An asthma diary. In the diary, you write down your peak flow, what symptoms you are having and what caused them, and any medicines you used.

An asthma action plan can help you make quick decisions about treatment when your asthma is worse and you need to prevent an attack.

It tells you:

    * How to know when your asthma is not in control and how to change your treatment so you can prevent an attack.
    * What to do if an attack becomes an emergency, and where to get medical treatment.

You and your doctor will work together to create your asthma action plan. An action plan has zones that are based on your peak flow or symptoms.

These include:

    * How to use a peak flow meter to check your peak flow (also called peak expiratory flow or PEF). Peak flow is a measure of how open your airways are. A drop in peak flow can show that the airways have narrowed even before you have symptoms. Then you can start treatment right away to help prevent an attack.
    * How to use a metered-dose inhaler or dry powder inhaler. Using a metered-dose inhaler with a spacer is an easy way to get the medicine to your lungs. But you have to use the inhaler correctly for it to work well. If you are not sure that you are using your inhaler the right way, ask your doctor to show you how. Your doctor can also tell you if you need to use a spacer with your type of inhaler.
    * What symptoms to watch for. Symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, or tiring quickly during exercise can mean that your asthma is not well-controlled. Having these symptoms may mean that you need to see your doctor and adjust your treatment.
    * How to identify, avoid, and reduce triggers.