Controlling Your Asthma
Asthma control is about more than just treating sudden asthma symptoms. Asthma control
is about managing your asthma daily so you have few or no asthma symptoms in the
first place.
When you have asthma, you always have inflammation or swelling
in the airways of your lungs. You may not feel this inflammation, but your lungs
do. Uncontrolled inflammation (swelling) makes your airways more sensitive to asthma
triggers like pollen, dust, and smoke. Exposure to these triggers can cause constriction
(tightening) of the muscles around your airways, leading to symptoms like shortness
of breath, wheezing, tightness of the chest, and coughing. Asthma controller medicines
can help control the inflammation in your airways and help reduce your sensitivity
to triggers.
Is your asthma under control?
- Do you experience asthma symptoms more than twice a week?
- Do you use asthma rescue medication more than twice a week?
- Do your asthma symptoms limit your activities?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you may not be in control
of your asthma and it is important that you talk to your doctor to determine if
an asthma-controller medicine, like SYMBICORT, is right for you. To help with that
conversation, take this simple, private and free Asthma Assessment
and print the results for your doctor to review.
When your asthma is under control, you can do more of the things you like to do
with fewer interruptions due to your asthma. You should have fewer asthma symptoms
throughout the day and night. And you shouldn't need to rely on your rescue
medicine as much. Remember:
asthma controller medicines are not rescue medicines, and asthma
controller medicines should not be used to treat sudden asthma symptoms.
Next: Assess Your Asthma