Asthma is a chronic, incurable condition that makes it difficult to move air into or out of your lungs with ease. Due to inflammation, irritation, and allergies, the airways that lead to your lungs swell up and the muscles tighten. Your airways may fill with mucus.
Asthma attacks are frightening and often painful, too. They may wake you up in the middle of the night. Having asthma can make you terrified of engaging in any activity that tends to bring on an attack, including — in some instances — exercise.
If you think you may have asthma, Catherine Fuller, MD, administers a series of tests, including tests for allergies, to determine your disease’s severity and risk factors. She then designs an individualized treatment and action plan at our office in West Los Angeles, California.
What are your asthma treatment options? Dr. Fuller may select one or more from the following for your asthma action plan to help you breathe easier.
Although there’s no cure for asthma yet, you may be able to minimize the number of attacks you suffer by modifying your lifestyle. Once you identify your triggers, you do as much as you can to avoid them.
You can keep a diary, or Dr. Fuller can test you, to identify possible triggers to your asthma attacks, such as:
If you run or work out intensely at the gym, for instance, you might bring a cooling towel to keep your body temperature regulated. You might learn stress-reduction techniques to manage your emotions. You may find that you respond well to an anti-inflammatory diet.
You don’t want to wait for an attack to happen. In addition to taking preventive measures with lifestyle changes, you can also take prophylactic medications to reduce the chances of a flare-up. Long-term prophylactic medications may also make flares less severe. Examples include:
Corticosteroids help to prevent inflammation in your lungs and airways. You take one or two puffs a day, depending on the type of medication.
It may take a few days or even weeks before you start to feel the difference they make in the number and severity of attacks. Inhaled corticosteroids don’t come with the same risks that oral or intravenous corticosteroids do.
Leukotriene modifiers come in a variety of strengths and forms. Usually, you take one pill or tablet a day. If you tend to get exercise-induced asthma, you can take the medication two hours before your workout.
A combination inhaler contains both corticosteroids to subdue airway inflammation and a long-lasting beta-agonist. The beta-agonist binds to beta-receptors in or on your lungs to help relax them and ease breathing. You can use them daily as prophylaxis and also to subdue an acute attack.
Despite taking preventive measures and prophylactic medications, you will still have an asthma attack from time to time. That’s when you need quick relief so you can breathe freely again. Acute medications come in various forms, including:
Unlike the inhaled corticosteroids, both oral and intravenous corticosteroids are dangerous when taken long term. They’re for short-term, emergency use only.
If your asthma is triggered by allergies, you could benefit from immunotherapy. After Dr. Fuller tests you for specific allergies, she develops a long-term therapy to gradually expose your body to the allergen in tiny, increasing amounts. Eventually, your immune system learns to ignore the trigger, reducing your attacks.
Another option is a class of medications called biologics. They’re usually made of living things, such as animals, plants, and bacteria, that block the molecules that trigger inflammation in your body.
To get a personalized action plan for your asthma that includes prevention, prophylaxis, and acute relief, contact Catherine Fuller, MD, by phone at 310-909-1910. You can also use our online form to request an appointment.
