Often when you are diagnosed with mild to moderate asthma, your doctor sends you home with a rescue inhaler to use when you have an attack. This works in that it keeps your airways from closing any further when you do start struggling to breathe. But in the long term, you will also want to look into asthma treatments that focus on preventing attacks in the first place. Here are a few of those treatments.

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are a class of medications that help counteract inflammation in the body. When prescribed for the treatment of asthma, they are usually inhaled. You may need to inhale a puff of the medication once or twice per day, depending on the exact medication that is prescribed and the severity of your symptoms. Corticosteroids can reduce both the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, and they can also improve lung function in general. They can cause side effects like oral thrush and dry mouth, but these side effects can largely be countered if you rinse your mouth out after treatment and adhere to a good dental care routine.

Theophylline

Theophylline is a drug that is chemically similar to caffeine but that is known to help relax the smooth muscles, especially those in the respiratory tract. In doing so, it can help to prevent the inflammation and narrowing of the airways that occur during the typical asthma attack. Theophylline comes in pill form, and you will need to take a pill once a day for preventative treatment of asthma. It is commonly prescribed to patients who suffer from COPD or other respiratory issues in conjunction with asthma as it can help treat these conditions, too.

Theophylline can cause upset stomach and diarrhea in some patients, but these symptoms often disappear in time once you get more used to the drugs.

Antihistamines

If your asthma is thought to be related to allergies, then your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine for you to take on a daily basis. Antihistamines interfere with your body's production of histamine, a chemical that your body releases in response to allergens and that triggers your airways to close up. Most modern prescription antihistamines do not make you drowsy like over-the-counter options and can be taken daily with little worry of side effects.

If you have been diagnosed with asthma, talk to your doctor about these asthma treatments. You don't want to have any more asthma attacks than necessary, and these medications can help ensure that.