What You Need to Know About Asthma Medicine

Asthma is a serious disease that is easily treated with medication. There are 2 major types of asthma medication: asthma controller medication, and rescue medication.

Controller Asthma Medicine

Asthma controller medicine is used for people suffering from severe asthma. Controller medicine is a long-term medicine that is used to prevent, or control, the occurrence of asthma symptoms. Asthma controller medicines come in 2 main categories: anti-inflammatory, and bronchodilators.

Anti-inflammatory asthma medicine reduces the swelling and mucus production in the lungs brought on by a reaction to irritants. These irritants can be allergies, smoke, stress, strenuous activity, or certain foods. Anti-inflammatory asthma medicine can be administered orally with a pill, or with an inhaler containing a corticosteroid. Anti-inflammatory asthma medicine can greatly reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks.

Bronchodilators are asthma medications that help relax the muscles around the airways that tend to restrict and cause asthma attacks. Bronchodilators can be inhaled twice daily, or taken orally with a pill or syrup.

Rescue Asthma Medicine

Rescue asthma medicines provide quick, temporary relief, from sudden asthma attacks. These medicines are usually used by mild asthma sufferers, for those severe asthma flare ups. There are two types of rescue asthma medicines: short acting bronchodilators, and anticholinergics.

Short-acting bronchodilators relax the muscles quickly to relieve asthma symptoms. Once taken, the short-acting bronchodilators can ease the asthma symptoms in under 20 minutes.

Anticholinergic asthma medicine works by blocking the creation of mucus build up in the airways. This aides your breathing by keeping a potentially dangerous situation from getting worse. When the airway becomes swollen due to irritation, mucus can cause the airways to become completely blocked, cutting off all airflow. Anticholinergic asthma medicine keeps that mucus from forming in the first place.

Treating Your Asthma

Asthma sufferers can breathe easier with the medicines available on the market. Asthma medicines come in inhalers, pills, and in some cases, shots. Asthma doesn't have to be a life threatening disease; you can control your asthma, and reduce the chances of an attack simply by taking your medication. Ask your doctor what asthma medications are right for you and your specific severity of asthma.

Every year, there are more advances in the treatment of asthma. Do some research and read up on the disease. Knowing about your condition and how to treat it in addition to medication can help you live a full life, without the restrictions brought on by asthma.