Goals of Treatment

If you've had asthma for some time, you might not expect much from your asthma medications. You may even accept living with a certain level of wheezing and shortness of breath. And if you were recently diagnosed with asthma, you probably wish it would just go away.

But living with asthma doesn't automatically mean you have to limit your activities. Asthma experts agree that with today's medications, you should aim for living an active, healthy life with minimal symptoms.

Below are some common goals of a
proper treatment plan:

If your asthma treatment plan doesn't allow you to meet the goals above, talk to your doctor as soon as possible about changing your treatment plan.

HOW YOU CAN GET THE MOST FROM YOUR ASTHMA MEDICATIONS

Open communication with your doctor is essential. Talk to your doctor about using your medications correctly and ask if your treatments need to be adjusted. You can also set up an Asthma Action Plan with your doctor.

Keep in mind that an important part of managing asthma is flexibility, which means that if your asthma symptoms change—becoming more or less severe—your doctor probably will also make changes in your medications or how often you use them.