Since asthma is a chronic disease, it requires continuous management and appropriate treatment. According to the national Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, National Institutes of Health, 2007), asthma treatment has four main components:

• The use of objective measure of lung function (such as peak flow meters and spirometers) to assess the severity of asthma and to monitor the course of treatment
• Environmental control measures to avoid or eliminate factors that trigger asthma symptoms or flare-ups
• Medication therapy for long-term management to reverse and prevent airway inflammation as well as therapy to manage asthma flare-ups
• Patient education to foster a partnership between the patients, his or her family, and the physician and other health care providers

According to the Guidelines, there are six general goals for the effective management of asthma:

• Prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms
• Maintain (near) "normal" breathing
• Maintain normal activity levels, including exercise
• Prevent recurrent asthma flare-ups, and minimize the need for emergency room visits or hospitalizations
• Provide optimal medication therapy with no or minimal adverse effects
• Meet patients' and families' expectations of satisfactory asthma care

Each person with asthma has her/his specific goals. Share these so your physician can focus on helping you attain them. Chances are once your specific goals are met, the general goals listed above will also be met.

You and your physician can work together on these goals to ensure that your asthma is well-managed. Having asthma should not stop you from participating in normal activities.