General Practice
Asthma
Controller versus reliever inhalers, triggers, and what good control looks like.
5 min read
What it is
Asthma is a long-term condition in which the airways become inflamed and narrow in response to triggers. Most treatment plans use two kinds of inhaler: a controller taken every day to keep inflammation down, and a reliever used only when symptoms flare. Needing the reliever often is a sign the plan needs reviewing, not a sign to simply use more of it.
What to look for
Wheeze, a tight chest or a cough that is worse at night or early morning
Breathlessness with exercise, cold air, dust, smoke or pollen
Symptoms that come and go rather than staying constant
Sensible things to do at home
- Take the controller inhaler daily, even when you feel well
- Use a spacer — it gets far more medicine into the lungs, in adults as well as children
- Learn your triggers and reduce them where practical
- Keep a written action plan and a reliever inhaler within reach
When to see us
- You use a reliever inhaler more than twice a week
- Night-time waking with cough or wheeze
- Struggling to speak in full sentences, or the reliever is not helping — this is an emergency
- Before the season or an activity you know sets it off
To book, phone the practice on 058 813 2777 or send us a message. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call 10177.