How asthma is treated

Asthma treatment can help you stay in control of your symptoms

Medicines, asthma action plans and regular reviews are essential for managing asthma. Everyone with asthma should have their own up-to-date written asthma action plan with instructions on what to do when symptoms worsen.

Good asthma care also involves treatment for other health conditions that can affect asthma. A healthy lifestyle helps people with asthma stay in control of their symptoms and feel well.

The main aims of asthma treatment are:

to keep lungs as healthy as possible
to keep symptoms under control
to stop asthma from interfering with school, work or play
to prevent flare-ups or attacks.

Your doctor will decide which medicines are right for you and explain how to use them. Do not change your asthma medicines without talking to your doctor first.

Find out more: Asthma medicines

What is good asthma control?

Regular asthma reviews (and asthma control tests) will help you stay in control of your asthma. An asthma review is a check-up with your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist practitioner to ensure your asthma is well controlled, which means:

Activities are not limited at all by asthma.
No asthma symptoms during the night (including coughing during sleep) or on waking up.
Daytime symptoms on no more than 2 days per week.
Not using a reliever on more than 2 days per week (not counting reliever taken before exercise).
Any symptoms go away quickly after using your reliever.

Find out more: Asthma review

What is an asthma action plan?

An asthma action plan is a set of instructions for managing your asthma or your child’s asthma. The plan is made by you with your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist practitioner, and then written down for you to keep.

An asthma action plan includes:

a list of your usual asthma medicines, including doses
instructions on what to do when asthma is getting worse, when to take extra doses or extra medicines, and when to contact a doctor or go to the emergency department
what to do in an asthma emergency
the name of the doctor or other health professional who prepared the plan
the date.

Everyone with asthma (all children and adults) should have their own, personalised asthma action plan. Asthma action plans should be checked and updated at least once a year. Bring your action plan or your child’s action plan whenever you visit your doctor.

Find out more: Asthma action plans