Helping You Control Your Breathing
The Asthma Program at Rochester Regional Health provides asthma diagnosis, care, and management to people of all ages throughout Western NY. Asthma affects about 1 in 15 Americans–or more than 25 million people in the U.S.–and it is our goal to help you live well with asthma. Our comprehensive care and experienced providers incorporate research, national certifications, and best practices to ensure you receive the best possible asthma care.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, affected by the seasons, environmental conditions, allergen exposure, exercise, and air quality. It is the most common chronic disease in children and can impact learning (through missed school days) and workdays. Asthma can be controlled, but it cannot be cured.
Asthma changes over time, and our program uniquely sees patients of all ages, allowing us to offer comprehensive care and learn more about asthma’s different presentations. Our care extends to every member of your family, carefully meeting your needs and your schedule every step of the way.
Asthma Symptoms
Most asthma patients develop symptoms before they turn 5. Symptoms include:
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
Signs that your asthma may be worsening include:
- Symptoms that are more frequent and bothersome
- Increased difficulty breathing
- Symptoms during exercise or exertion
- Increased need to use a quick-relief inhaler
Asthma symptoms vary from person to person. You may experience infrequent asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times–such as when exercising–or experience symptoms all the time.
Asthma Triggers
Triggers are things that make your asthma flare-up, and vary person by person. In order to prevent an asthma flare-up, it’s important to identify and avoid these triggers. Common ones include:
- Illnesses or infections
- Animal dander
- Cockroaches
- Dust mites
- Mold and mildew
- Pollen
- Exercise
Our experienced asthma providers will help you find your triggers and come up with ways to best avoid them, all backed by our extensive research and training.
Asthma During Pregnancy
Asthma is a chronic condition, and it does not disappear when you are pregnant. For some, asthma symptoms and triggers will improve, for others they are unchanged, and some experience worsened symptoms and triggers. Typically, the increase in symptoms is most noticeable in the first and third trimesters. Your allergist can help differentiate expected shortness of breath associated with pregnancy vs worsening asthma.
If your asthma is well-controlled, there is little to no risk of asthma-related complications during pregnancy. Severe and uncontrolled asthma can increase the risk of problems for you and your unborn baby, including preeclampsia, restricted fetal growth, premature growth, and the need for a C-section.
It is safe to take asthma medications while pregnant, and you should speak to both your OBGYN and allergist if you have any questions or concerns. Taking asthma medications during pregnancy is safer than experiencing symptoms or having an asthma attack, as trouble breathing may mean your baby is not getting enough oxygen.
The Asthma Program team will watch for hormonal changes due to pregnancy and help ensure you have the safest pregnancy for both you and your baby.
Diagnosing Asthma
We start with a thorough medical history–including a detailed history of your symptoms and health–and a physical examination. Once that has been completed, we use lung or pulmonary function tests to measure lung function. These tests include:
- Spirometry: measures how much air you can breathe in and out of your lungs
- Lung volume tests: measures the volume of air in the lungs, including the air that remains at the end of a normal breath
- FeNO: the fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide test is used to measure the level of nitric oxide in parts per billion exhaled from your lungs
- Exercise tests: helps evaluate causes of shortness of breath
The medical equipment used to test determines your lung capacity and exhalation speed, and allows us to classify your asthma into one of four categories:
- Mild intermittent
- Mild persistent
- Moderate persistent
- Severe persistent
Your asthma classification will determine the best treatment plan and next steps.
Asthma Treatment
Once we have classified your asthma, our team will create an individualized treatment plan for you. We want you to live your life with minimal asthma flares, and the ability to participate in normal activities of living. With that in mind, your treatment plan will include an asthma action plan, environmental controls, and options for quick relief and medication.
Action Plan
An asthma action plan is a written management program with instructions on how and when to watch for triggers, when to monitor peak flow rates, and when to increase medications for asthma flares.
If you are unresponsive to your action plan or exhibiting any of these signs, please call 911:
- Chest pain
- Cough, shortness of breath, rapid breathing
- Difficulty talking
- Extreme fatigue
- A facial appearance that’s pale or dusky
- An inability to lie flat
- Mood changes
- Ribs and neck muscles showing when breathing
- Rescue medications not working
Environmental Control
Your asthma provider and you will identify environmental triggers like pollen, mold, dust mites, dander, and cockroaches, and find ways to control those.
Medication
Anti-inflammatories: Anti-inflammatory medications like inhaled corticosteroids, a long-acting bronchodilator, and leukotriene modifiers can be taken every day to keep the lungs from becoming inflamed.
Short-acting Bronchodilators: Short-acting bronchodilators are used for acute episodes or flares, or every 4-6 hours as needed. They work to open inflamed lung airways quickly, but should not be used daily. If you begin to use your short-acting bronchodilators increasingly, speak to your asthma provider.
Oral steroids: Oral steroids are used in short courses for severe flares. We do not use these to treat asthma long-term.
Anti IgE Therapy: Anti IgE therapy interferes with the function of IgE, which is an immune system antibody.
Asthma at Rochester Regional Health
Our providers work hard to stay at the top of their field. Research, study participation, and continuing education all ensure that they are well-versed in many types of asthma and allergy conditions. If you are concerned about Asthma and COPD, dealing with chronic cough, the influence of allergy on asthma, exercise-induced asthma, GERD, or vocal cord dysfunction, our team will be by your side to explain, diagnose, and give you the care you need.