Patient and family information
What to expect from a clinic appointment
In clinic we ask questions about symptoms such as cough, wheeze
and breathing problems and we might do some special tests.
Sometimes allergy tests are helpful and, in children who are old
enough, we might test lung function. If we think you need treatment
for wheeze we will explain which medicines you need and how to take
them.
Most asthma medications are either a preventer or a
reliever:
Preventer (or maintenance) medications:
These control inflammation in the airways so that swelling and
irritation in the airways doesn't affect your breathing or cause
asthma symptoms such as wheeze, cough or feeling tight in the
chest. Preventer medications are often inhalers but some are
medicines are taken by mouth.
To get the full benefit from these medicines they need to be
taken every day, even when well. It is important that inhalers are
taken using the correct technique to make sure that the medicine
reaches the lungs. Our team can help check that you are taking your
medications in the best way.
Reliever medications:
Most often this is a blue salbutamol inhaler. Relievers are used
to ease breathing when symptoms such as having a tight chest or
being breathless are troublesome.
Our team will help monitor how often these reliever medications
are needed to control breakthrough symptoms and attacks and offer
advice to prevent these from happening.
Maintenance and Reliever Therapy:
We might recommend you have a combined inhaler that you can take
as both a preventer and a reliever. Using a combined inhaler like
this is called Maintenance and Reliever Therapy or MART. We will
explain to you how and when to take your combined inhaler.
We give all patients a personalised asthma or wheeze action
plan. This explains how and when to take each medicine or inhaler.
Please contact us if you do not have one or need a new plan.
