Building a good partnership between the health care team and the asthma patient may be one of the most important steps in asthma treatment which aims at to create an individual appropriate plan for the patients and help them in controlling asthma symptoms, without close supervision of the physician. There can be several goals of asthma treatment, such as: preventing asthma attacks as well as ongoing and bothersome symptoms, having as few side effects of medication as possible, lessening dependence on drugs and medications, etc.

Plan for asthma treatment should be developed in written form, discussed with the doctor or health care team regularly, and making changes whenever necessary. But first, an asthma patient should understand what needs to be accomplished, including having medical tests to assess the severity of symptoms and the like. This will obviously help in reducing exposure to allergens and determining the use of proper medications, as there are persons who are allergic to specific drugs.

For determining which specific type of medical treatment is suitable for patients, we need to measure the severity of asthma as well as symptoms' frequency. Identifying responsible triggers and reducing or preventing exposure to these triggers is a basic step of asthma treatment. Medical treatment can help here if avoidance of trigger is not sufficient. Doctors may suggest glucocorticoid use at a higher dose to those patients who face daily asthma attacks. Low-dose inhaled glucocorticoids may be given for those with mild persistent asthma. Various types of medication treatment can also be prescribed to patients, such as prevention medication, relief medication, etc. Emergency or rescue treatment is also made available for patients who have a high frequency of asthma attacks.

After diagnosing asthma, a patient may be given maintenance medications. Two kinds of medications can be given:

- Controller medications: Basically prescribed as long-term treatment of asthma that is persistent. In the reduction of lung inflammation caused by asthma attacks, controller medications are very useful.

- Rescue medications: Basically prescribed as short-term treatment of asthma attacks. This are used during acute asthma exacerbations or attacks.

Because of chronic disease, treatment for asthma may continue for a long time. Some people have to stay on treatment for the rest of their lives. The best way people can do for improving their condition and live better is to learn all they can about their asthma and what they can do to make it better.

A patient must be aware of his or her asthma triggers and try his/her best to avoid them. An asthma patient should become a partner with his or her doctor and use properly the information provided by doctor in order to help himself. He should meet his/her doctor regularly and report or consult any changes of symptoms or side-effects resulting from medications.

Self management plans are proven to be effective measures in lessening the frequencies and preventing the occurrence of asthma attacks on the appearance of early warning signs. Through self management, people can live like normal people without asthma do- all it entails is a little cautiousness and alertness.