How to Develop an Effective Asthma Action Plan

An asthma diagnosis can be a scary thing to contemplate. The first thing you need to understand is that you are not alone in dealing with your asthma. More than 20 million people in the United States are managing an asthma condition. The good news is that with your doctor's care and a comprehensive asthma action plan, you can be on the road to taking control of your asthma and effectively managing your symptoms. The key is going to be in the type of plan that you develop. A good asthma action plan should be discussed through a partnership between you as the patient and your doctor.

Step One: Monitoring Your Symptoms

The first part of your asthma action plan should be a method to monitor your asthma symptoms. This can be done a couple of different ways. The first way is to evaluate signs of your asthma on a daily basis. The other is to use a peak flow device that will give you an indication of how well you are blowing air out of your lungs. The peak flow monitor is usually an inexpensive plastic tool that can prove to be invaluable part of your asthma action plan.

Whichever method you and your doctor decide is best for you, the important part is to perform your evaluation daily. This will train you in your awareness of your symptoms so that you can quickly recognize when you need to change or intensify your asthma treatment. You can keep a chart that will track your symptoms, treatments and possible triggers every day. Not only will this help you treat your asthma more effectively, it will also give you peace of mind in knowing that you are taking control of your condition.

Step Two: Avoid Triggers

Once you have a good idea of what triggers your asthma, the next step of your asthma action plan should be to avoid those triggers as much as possible. If your asthma is brought on by viruses like colds, you know that you should step up treatment at the first sign of a sniffle. If the trigger is an allergic reaction to something, you can avoid the item that gives you trouble or talk to your doctor about treating allergies to things that you simply cannot avoid. In extreme cases of allergy-induces asthma, your doctor might recommend immunotherapy to cure you of your allergies.

Step Three: Medications

There are two types of medications that asthma sufferers can consider. One is a preventative therapy that involves a medication to control the inflammation of the bronchial tubes. This is generally a steroidal treatment, and is often given by inhaler. The other type of medication that is often prescribed for asthma patients is to treat severe symptoms or "attacks." These are also usually done by inhaler, but can include oral steroids. The good news is that there are many effective treatments for asthma. With a good asthma action plan in place you will have the confidence to know what type of treatment you need and when you need it.