What to ask your doctor about asthma - adult
Asthma is a problem with the lung airways. A person with asthma may not feel symptoms all the time. But when an asthma attack happens, it becomes hard for air to pass through your airways. The symptoms are usually:
In rare cases, asthma causes chest pain.
Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your asthma.
Am I taking my asthma medicines the right way?
What are some signs that my asthma is getting worse and that I need to call the doctor? What should I do when I feel short of breath? Should I be using a peak flow meter?
What shots or vaccinations do I need?
What will make my asthma worse?
What sort of changes should I make around my home?
What sort of changes do I need to make at work?
What exercises are better for me to do?
Do I need tests or treatments for allergies? What should I do when I know I am going to be around something that triggers my asthma?
What type of planning do I need to do before I travel?
Am I at risk for COVID-19? What should I do to protect myself?
Holgate ST, Sly PD. Asthma pathogenesis. In: Burks AW, Holgate ST, O'Hehir RE, Broide DH, et al. eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2020: chap 47.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Asthma. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/asthma. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed January 17, 2023.
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Reviewed By: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron Jr. Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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