Asthma Care

Advanced care and education to manage asthma

Comprehensive Asthma Care and Management

If you have asthma, you are not alone. About 15 million Americans are living with this condition. Among those, one-third are children.

At Lahey Clinic we teach you how to manage your asthma. You learn to avoid triggers and monitor your symptoms. Even if your asthma is severe, today’s advanced treatments help you avoid emergencies. Complete care from Lahey’s asthma experts lets you enjoy a full and productive life.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Since 1996, lung experts at Lahey have worked with other specialists to care for all types of asthma and asthma symptoms. Your asthma care team includes providers from pulmonary medicine, allergy and immunology, and pharmacy.

We use a team approach to evaluate and treat your asthma. Your care team strives to:

Improve and maintain your health and quality of life
Reduce your need for emergency treatment
Lower the cost of managing your asthma by avoiding hospitalization
Improve asthma care by taking part in clinical research

Pediatric Asthma Care

When you come to Lahey for your child’s asthma care, your family gets special attention. The physicians, nurses, and other asthma care providers on your care team are highly experienced in testing and treating children.

We help you:

Create plans to keep your child active
Empower your child to learn about managing their condition
Set appropriate guidelines for your child’s activities

Stay informed about your child’s treatment options
Understand your child’s asthma symptoms and triggers

Request an Appointment

When you’re ready to get control of your asthma, come to Lahey. Our specialists diagnose and treat the full range of allergic problems in both children and adults.

Your primary care doctor can make a referral for you, or you can call us at 781-744-2640 to schedule an appointment.

Understanding Your Asthma

At Lahey, we teach you and your family about your specific type of asthma. You learn how to avoid triggers, manage symptoms and reduce your risk for a flare-up.

Warning Signs & Symptoms

Many people with asthma experience warning signs before symptoms appear. Your warning signs unique to you and change from time to time.

When you know your warning signs, you can start treatment sooner. This lets you prevent a more serious asthma attack.

Warning signs an asthma attack differ for everyone. Examples include:

Breathing faster than normal
Breathing trouble, which becomes worse at night or in the early morning
Chronic exhaustion
Coughing that gets worse at night or in the early morning

Fast heartbeat
Head chronically “stopped up”
Itchy, scratchy or sore throat
Shortness of breath
Tight feeling in the chest
Wheezing

Causes & Triggers

There are many allergens, chemicals and pollutants in the environment that can aggravate asthma symptoms. Certain activities many also cause an attack.

You work with your doctor to identify what irritates your asthma. When you know your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them.

Categories of asthma causes include:

Allergens, including animal dander, dust, dust mites, food additives, molds, and pollen
Environmental conditions like air pollution, changes in air temperature, cigarette smoke, or fumes and strong odors
Exercise
Indoor pollutants such as cleaning agents, other chemicals, and perfumes
Infections in the lungs or airways
Stress or strong emotions

Diagnosing Asthma

If you experience signs of asthma, your doctor will evaluate you. At your appointment, your doctor will:

Complete a physical exam
Review your medical history
Talk with you about your symptoms

You will also complete lab tests to measure your lung function and check for allergies. These tests may include:

Allergy skin testing
Bronchoprovocation test (a measure of how well your lungs function under different conditions, like exercise or in cold air)
Blood tests
Spirometry (a measure of the volume of air inhaled or exhaled)
X-rays

Your doctor uses your exam and test results to diagnose your type of asthma. You and your doctor discuss your triggers. Together, you create a treatment plan that meets your needs.

Your Asthma Treatment Plan

You work with your doctor and clinical pharmacist to build an asthma control plan for your level of asthma. Your plan may include:

Medicine

You and your doctor find the right medicine to help control your asthma. Options include:

Controller medicines for long-term relief, such as biologic injections and inhalers
Rescue medicines that provide quick symptom relief during an asthma attack

You may also benefit from using a self-injected biologic medicine. Talk with your doctor to learn if this treatment can help improve your asthma control and improve your lung function.

Lifestyle Changes

You can take steps to reduce your risk of an asthma episode. It’s also important to maintain your health. Depending on your type of asthma, your doctor may suggest:

Eating a healthy diet
Exercise
Medicine changes

Avoid Triggers

You can remove asthma triggers from your home and work environments. Talk with your doctor about steps you can take.

It can be hard to avoid every asthma trigger. When you reduce exposure to key triggers, you can enjoy a better quality of life with fewer asthma episodes.

Managing Acute Asthma

If you are an acute asthma sufferer, you need a detailed plan to keep your condition under control. When you carefully manage your symptoms, you can keep your doctor visits to a minimum.

Your acute asthma management plan may include:

Guidance for deciding when to go to school or work and when to stay home
Guidelines for knowing when to go to the emergency department
How to recognize the signs that indicate when you should seek immediate medical advice
Instructions on what to do if you have a cold or infection
Steps to manage asthma episodes, including specific dos and don'ts

Patient Education & Support

At Lahey, you learn everything you need to know about your asthma condition. Your care team provides education for you, your family and your primary care doctor.

When you understand your asthma and your care plan, you can do a better job of managing and controlling this chronic condition.

You learn how to:

Create and implement an asthma action plan
Implement your prescribed treatment plan
Use inhalers and other breathing devices
Use a peak flow meter to track your lung strength
Use environmental controls to limit exposure to triggers

Your Lahey team sends care recommendations to your primary care doctor. Together, this group of specialists works to help you manage your asthma.

For example, you keep track of your peak flow results and share them with your doctor. This data lets you and your doctor make important decisions about your medicine and other treatments.

Whenever you or your primary care doctor need questions answered, Lahey asthma specialists are available by phone.