Category: Asthma

Treatment Options for Asthma

Asthma can be managed well with the right regimen of medications and treatment prescribed by your board-certified allergist or immunologist.

  • Corticosteroids are an effective medication that can be administered in a pill or inhaler form, depending of the severity of asthma. Examples include Qvar, Pulmicort flexhaler, Symbicort, Advair diskus, Flovent, Asminex, Dulera, and Alvesco.
  • Bronchodilators are known as rescue inhalers, which are used to open up the bronchial tubes allowing more air to flow through. Examples include ProAir.
  • Anti-leukotriene’s help to combat leukotrienes that are responsible for airway inflammation that occurs in the body. Singulair is a popular anti-leukotriene used to treat asthma.
  • Xolair is a treatment option only for patients with high IgE levels and moderate to severe asthma. Xolair comes in the form of an infection, similar to allergy injections, that bind to IgE and inactivates them, reducing asthma symptoms. Xolair helps to decrease asthma attacks in patients who still have asthma symptoms even with the use of inhaled steroids.
  • Immunotherapy injections (IT), also known as allergy shots, can be a very helpful treatment for asthma depending on the cause and triggers to your asthma. IT can help to decrease your sensitivity to environmental allergens which will help to decrease triggers for your asthma and asthma attacks.
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Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects millions of Americans. Asthma is closely linked to allergies, and is considered a risk factor in developing asthma. Asthma is characterized by coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing. Those with asthma have sensitive airways, known as bronchial tubes, which can be triggered by allergens, exercise, reflux disease, illness, pollution, strong odors, or weather changes. Asthma is currently the leading chronic illness among children in the US, although it can affect people of all ages and races; however those of African American decent are more likely to be hospitalized or have more severe cases of asthma than Caucasians.

Asthma can be properly diagnosed by your board-certified allergist/immunologist by performing a pulmonary function test (PFT). The most common form of PFT is spirometry, which specifically measures the amount (volume) and the speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled, which can help assess the extent of your asthma.

Treatment Options for Asthma