One thing your doctor can do is change the schedule or dosage of your currently prescribed asthma control medications. Increasing how often you take your medications or how much you take each time may help better control your symptoms. Another option is to change the medications you are on, either by adding a new medication to your existing prescriptions or by substituting a new medication for one you are currently taking.

There are several types of asthma control medications but the most frequently prescribed are corticosteroids, long-acting beta-2 agonists (LABAs) and medications than contain both corticosteroids LABAs together. Corticosteroids help reduce inflammation in the lung airways and are commonly taken daily via an inhaler (note that this is not the same as the fast-acting rescue inhalers that are designed to be used only when you are experiencing symptoms). If you are prescribed one type of corticosteroid medication to control your asthma symptoms, the doctor might consider switching you to a different type of corticosteroid.

Alternatively, he or she might try adding a LABA medication to the corticosteroid you are already prescribed, or switching you to a combination drug that contains both corticosteroids and LABAs. LABAs are bronchodilator medications that help open up the tiny airways in the lungs so air can get in and out more easily. LABAs are basically longer-acting versions of the medications found in fast-acting rescue inhalers such as albuterol; these short acting beta-2 agonists (SABAs) are great at heading off an asthma attack but they do not last long enough in your body to help prevent future symptoms. LABAs are not usually prescribed alone as asthma treatments and need to be used along with corticosteroids.