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Asthma

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects 26 million Americans, including 6.1 million children.1 When people with asthma are exposed to certain triggers—such as allergens, heavy exercise, smoke, and even cold air—their airways tighten and become inflamed, creating extra mucus and making it difficult to breathe.2

Typical asthma symptoms include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing (a rasping or whistling sound when you breathe)
  • Coughing or spitting up mucus
  • Tightness in your chest

Managing Your Asthma

Monitor Your Symptoms

If you have asthma, it’s critical to pay attention to your condition to avoid a flare-up. You can do this with a peak flow meter and an asthma diary.

Peak Flow Meters—A peak flow meter is a small, handheld device that measures the force of air as you blow out. A strong, hard breath means your asthma is under control; a small, weak breath tells you that your airways are tight.3

Asthma Diary—Use an asthma diary to write down your peak flow results regularly each day and whenever you start to feel severe asthma symptoms. You can review your asthma diary with your doctor to find asthma trigger patterns and create an Asthma Action Plan.4

Prevent Complications

The best way to prevent an asthma flare-up is to take your asthma medications as directed by your doctor. There are two types of asthma medications:

Long-Term (controller)—When used regularly, controller medications can help you manage asthma symptoms. Some types of these medications are:

  • Inhaled corticosteroids and leukotriene inhibitors, which are oral medications that prevent inflammation
  • Long-acting inhalers that help open airways
  • Anti-IgE therapy injections that block inflammation for people with severe asthma

Quick-Relief (rescue)—If you have a flare-up, use your rescue medications to relieve your asthma symptoms. These are usually short-acting inhalers, also called bronchodilators.5

To learn how to properly use an inhaler, watch this video.

To see the asthma medications covered by our plans, use our Medication Lookup Tool.

Talk to Your Doctor

Take the proper steps and precautions to avoid an asthma flare-up. Work with your doctor to find the best way to manage your asthma, and make sure to take your medication as directed. Your doctor can also tell you how to determine when it’s time to refill your inhaler or other medications.

Create an Asthma Action Plan6

Develop an Asthma Action Plan with your doctor so that you know the steps to take when you have asthma symptoms. Your Asthma Action Plan should include:

  • When and how to properly take your controller and rescue medications
  • How to handle your asthma symptoms based on your peak flow meter reading
  • What to do when asthma symptoms occur

Make sure that you understand your action plan, and share it with your family, friends, and caregivers.

Additional Tools and Resources

Our Care Management Program

Our Care Managers support members who may have had a recent change in health, a chronic condition they may need help managing, or a recent hospitalization. Participation in this program is completely voluntary, is offered at no additional cost to you, and won’t affect your benefits. Learn more about Care Management. To get started, call us at 1-800-392-0098, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET (TTY users: dial 711).

More Tools, Resources, and Information About Asthma

Visit:

  • ahealthyme®´—Get the latest education and updates about asthma, avoiding triggers, using a peak flow meter, and more.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute—Read expert information about the causes, risks, and treatments of asthma.
  • Massachusetts Department of Public Health—Know how your environment impacts your asthma.

1https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_national_asthma_data.htm

2https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_national_asthma_data.htm

3https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/living-with-asthma/managing-asthma/assess-and-monitor-your.html

4https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/living-with-asthma/managing-asthma/assess-and-monitor-your.html

5https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/asthma-triggers-and-management

6https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/asthma-triggers-and-management

 

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ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia con el idioma. Llame al número de Servicio al Cliente que figura en su tarjeta de identificación llamada 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711 ).

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注意:如果您讲中文,我们可向您免费提供语言协助服务。请拨打您 ID  卡上的号码联系会员服务部 通话 1-800-472-2689(TTY  号码:711 )。

ATANSYON: Si ou pale kreyòl ayisyen, sèvis asistans nan lang disponib pou ou gratis. Rele nimewo Sèvis Manm nan ki sou kat Idantitifkasyon w lan (Sèvis pou Malantandan Rele 1-800-472-2689 TTY: 711 ).

LƯU .: Nếu quý vị n.i Tiếng Việt, c.c dịch vụ hỗ trợ ng.n ngữ được cung cấp cho quý vị miễn ph.. Gọi cho Dịch vụ Hội vi.n theo số tr.n thẻ ID của quý vị Cuộc gọi 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711 ).

ВНИМАНИЕ: если Вы говорите по-русски, Вы можете воспользоваться бесплатными услугами переводчика. Позвоните в отдел обслуживания клиентов по номеру, указанному в Вашей идентификационной карте вызов  1-800-472-2689 (телетайп: 711 ).

ការជូនដំណឹង៖ ប្រសិនប. ើអ្នកនិយាយភាសា ខ្មែរ សេ  វាជំនួយភាសាឥតគិតថ្លៃ គឺអាចរកបានសម្  រាប ់អ្នក។ សូមទូរស័ព្ទទ ៅផ ្នែ កសេ  វាសមា  ជិកតាមល េខន  ៅល.  ើប ័ណ្ណ សម្  គាល ់ខ្លួ ខ្លួ នរប ស់អ្នក ហៅ  1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711) ។

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ध्यान दें: य दि  आप ह िन् दी बोलते ह ैं, तो भा षा  सहाय  ता  सेवा एँ, आप के लि ए नि :शुल्क  उपलब्ध ह ैं। सदस्य  सेवा ओं को आपके आई.डी. कार  ्ड पर दि ए गए नंबर पर कॉल करें  कॉल 1-800-472-2689 ( टी .टी .वा ई.: 711).

ધ્યાન આપો:  જો તમે ગુજરા તી બોલતા  હો, તો તમને ભા ષા કીય  સહાય  તા  સેવા ઓ વિ ના  મૂલ્યે  ઉપલબ્ધ છે. તમા રા  આઈડી કાર  ્ડ પર આપેલા  નંબર પર Member Service  ને કૉલ કરો કૉલ કરો 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711).

PAUNAWA: Kung nagsasalita ka ng wikang Tagalog, mayroon kang magagamit na mga libreng serbisyo para sa tulong sa wika. Tawagan ang Mga Serbisyo sa Miyembro sa numerong nasa iyong ID Card tumawag 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711 ).

お知らせ:日本語をお話しになる方は無料の言語アシスタンスサービスをご利用いただけます。ID カードに記載の電話番号を使用してメンバーサービスまでお電話ください 呼び出す 1-800-472-2689(TTY: 711 )。

ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsche sprechen, steht Ihnen kostenlos fremdsprachliche Unterstützung zur Verfügung. Rufen Sie den Mitgliederdienst unter der Nummer auf Ihrer ID-Karte an Anrufen 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711 ).

ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services are available to you free of charge. Call 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711).

ຂໍ້ຄວນໃສ່ໃຈ: ຖ້າເຈົ້າເວົ້າພາສາລາວໄດ້, ມີການບໍລິການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອດ້ານພາສາໃຫ້ທ່ານໂດຍບໍ່ເສຍຄ່າ. ໂທ ຫາ ຝ່າຍບໍລິການສະ ມາ ຊິກທີ່ໝາຍເລກໂທລະສັບຢູ່ໃນບັດຂອງທ່ານ ໂທ 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711).

BAA !KOHWIINDZIN DOO&G&: Din4 k’ehj7 y1n7[t’i’go saad bee y1t’i’ 47 t’11j77k’e bee n7k1’a’doowo[go 47 n1’ahoot’i’. D77 bee an7tah7g7 ninaaltsoos bine’d44’ n0omba bik1’7g7ij8’ b44sh bee hod77lnih call 1-800-472-2689 (TTY: 711).