How can I maintain control of my asthma?

Because the causes of asthma are unknown, there is no specific way to prevent it. Kevin Soden, MD, reveals tips for preventing attacks, which may include avoiding triggers and visiting your doctor regularly.

Transcript

00:00

Pay close attention to how often you are using your rescue inhaler. If it becomes too frequent, you may need to adjust your long-acting medications with your doctor.

00:09

[MUSIC PLAYING]

00:26

Because the root causes of asthma are unknown, there's no specific way to prevent the disease. But developing an asthma action plan can help you live with it

00:35

and prevent attacks. Write a detailed plan with your doctor about what steps you should take to avoid making your asthma worse.

00:43

This can include when to use each medication and scheduling regular appointments to see your doctor. Next, manage your triggers.

00:51

That may mean quitting smoking or staying away from smokers, changing air filters in your house, staying indoors on high-allergen days.

00:59

Make sure to take your asthma medications as prescribed and don't change any of your regimen without talking to your doctor first.

01:06

Finally, pay close attention to how often you are using your rescue inhaler. If it becomes too frequent, you may

01:13

need to adjust your long-acting medications with your doctor. Every case of asthma is different. And the key to living with the disease

01:21

is to understand your symptoms and manage them appropriately. [AUDIO LOGO]