There are a number of key goals associated with asthma management.

Asthma management is an important concern for both children and adults who suffer from this affliction of the airways. Experts in the field say the best management program is one in which the patient, or a parent of the patient, takes an active role. Effective management should also be done in consultation with a doctor.

There are a number of key goals associated with management of this condition. For instance, management should enable an individual to take part in virtually any physical activity. Efficient management should also end sleeplessness and eliminate night-time and early morning symptoms.

When a management program is in place, the asthmatic should no longer have to use bronchodilator medications each day. Management should also normalize lung function, as determined by peak flow or lung function tests.

Management over the long term generally requires education, environmental control, and medications. While some management programs concentrate on a single category, the best combine all three. This is because effective management is a complex enterprise based upon a number of different factors.

No one should underestimate the importance of patient education in asthma management. Because symptoms can worsen and then improve over time, it is often necessary for a physician to review and alter management techniques. The education component of management requires the patient to know the goals of treatment.

As part of management program, the patient should know the nature of the disease; common triggers; and the nature of drugs and their side effects. A management program may also include a written action plan and a diary where the patient can record the nature and severity of his or her symptoms.

Environmental control can be one of the more difficult aspects of management. Yet, it is a vital part of the management plan because the less exposure there is to triggers, the less medication is required. Practitioners of asthma treatment admit that identifying triggers can be difficult.

Still, most management programs recognize some common triggers, especially in the home environment. Banning pets and smoke from the house, combatting mold, and reducing home humidity can be effective steps in management plan. Children may also have to avoid high pollen counts as part of a management strategy.

The final aspect of management is medication control. Effective management means both alleviating symptoms and reducing the risk of an attack. Management also involves gauging the severity of symptoms by means of objective tests such as the peak flow or spirometry.

It should be noted that management programs often have to be changed in order to adapt to changing circumstances. In the end, the ultimate aim of any management strategy is a healthy, productive life for the patient.