Is Asthma Curable?

Approximately 1 in 13 people live with asthma, a condition that causes swelling in the airways. When these respiratory attacks occur, they can cause frightening and even life-threatening symptoms, like: 

• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Tightness in the chest

Fortunately, asthma treatments have advanced so much in recent years, you can gain near-complete control over this chronic condition.

If you have asthma, here’s how our team at Advanced Allergy & Asthma in Ogden, Utah, can help. 

Identify your triggers

The first step in getting your asthma managed is identifying what’s causing your airway inflammation. That’s because asthma can look different from person to person, and everyone can have unique triggers and symptoms.

For many, an allergy is the primary cause of a flare-up, such as:

• Dust mites
• Pests, like cockroaches and mice
• Animal dander
• Mold

Other common causes of asthma symptoms include physical activity, infections, cold air, and cigarette smoke.

If we suspect allergies are behind your flare-ups, we can confirm your triggers with allergy testing. 

Create an asthma action plan

The goal of an effective asthma action plan is to stop your attacks before they begin.

Once we identify what’s to blame for your symptoms, we can work with you to create an asthma action plan. This process usually involves managing your triggers and a combination of medications to help reduce inflammation and open your airways so that you can breathe better.

There are two types of medications used for managing asthma symptoms. One is a fast-acting “rescue” option — often an inhaler — designed to provide quick relief during an attack. Depending on your symptoms, we could also recommend long-term control medication, often taken daily.

If allergies contribute to your asthma symptoms, we could suggest a third option — allergy medication or shots. Allergy shots help reduce your sensitivity to those triggers.

When properly controlled, you shouldn’t need to use your rescue inhaler very often.

Stay vigilant

If you live with asthma, it’s essential to stick to your action plan and take your medications as directed. We also recommend keeping an asthma journal each day. This step helps identify potential triggers and monitors your symptoms and the effectiveness of your treatment plan.

Information to track in your journal could include:

• Shortness of breath or wheezing
• Chest tightness or pain
• Use of rescue inhalers (like albuterol) and puffs taken
• Disruptions to daily activities because of symptoms
• Hayfever symptoms or phlegm changes
• Symptoms during exercise
• Disturbed sleep because of symptoms

There may not be a cure for asthma, but you can gain control over your symptoms. To get started on your action plan, contact one of our convenient Advanced Allergy & Asthma in Ogden today.