Managing your asthma

To help you better manage your asthma, you and your primary care provider (PCP) can develop a personalized written plan called an asthma action plan. Your plan will help you identify and reduce your asthma triggers and tell you what to do if you experience a flare-up of symptoms.

Below is a link to a sample asthma action plan. If you don't have a plan, you can print it out and take it with you to your next PCP visit so you can create a plan together.

Massachusetts Adult Asthma Action Plan (PDF)

You can get your Massachusetts Adult Asthma Action Plan in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Russian, Chinese, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Portuguese (PDFs).

Additional resources

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

If you have asthma, here are five important things you should know:

1. You can control your asthma.

• You don’t need to miss school, sports, or other activities.
• You can ask your family to help with your treatment planning if you need added support.

2. Asthma is a disease that makes the airways in your lungs inflamed and swollen.

• During an asthma flare-up (attack), your airways are swollen and sensitive.
• You can control the swelling with medicine, and by staying away from things that bother your airways.

3. Things that bother your airways are called "triggers."

• Triggers cause asthma flare-ups.
• Smoke, pollen, dust, and exercise can be triggers.
• Every person with asthma has different triggers.
• Learn how to avoid your triggers and prevent flare-ups.
• Medicine taken before exercise can help prevent your asthma from flaring up.

4. Work with your PCP to manage your asthma. Here are some tips:

• Talk with your PCP about what to do every day to avoid flare-ups.
• Ask your PCP what to do right away if you have a flare-up.
• Share your health goals and preferences with your PCP.
• Ask for help using your inhaler when your PCP first prescribes one for you.
  • Ask how to incorporate inhalers in your daily routine – i.e., keep inhalers in the bathroom and use them during your morning routine. 
  • Ask about potential side effects of using controller medications and how to manage those side effects.
  • Identify and discuss anything that may prevent you from using your asthma inhalers.

5. If someone you care for or live with has asthma, don’t smoke.

• Smoke is a common trigger and can cause asthma to flare up.
• We can help you quit smoking by connecting you to a smoking-cessation program.

*If you are using your inhalers and still ending up with asthma exacerbations that require urgent care or emergency room visits, talk to your doctor about other medication options or referral to an asthma specialist.