How to Make the Most of Your Appointment with a Healthcare Provider

Managing asthma can be frustrating. You have to identify—and then avoid—whatever triggers your symptoms, take your medicine as prescribed, and constantly stay on the lookout to try to keep your symptoms under control, especially when you get a cold or a cough. Usually, people with asthma rely on their primary care providers for help, but those appointments are notoriously brief. So, how can you make the most of your time and be sure you’re controlling your asthma as easily as possible?

Keep reading.

One of the first steps is learning what the latest research suggests for asthma management, so that you can better understand what questions to ask and feel more empowered about taking control of your health. To save you time, we’ve reviewed scientific papers and outlined relevant topics you may want to discuss with your healthcare provider. 

What you need to know about asthma management in the United States

Healthcare providers tend to focus on medication, which is a critical part of asthma management when used correctly and at the prescribed intervals. However, studies have found that many primary care providers fall short of identifying the allergic triggers that may be causing a patient’s symptoms,^1-2 something that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes as an essential part of good asthma care.³

Why does this matter? We’re glad you asked.

Evidence shows that if patients have an accurate picture of the triggers that cause their symptoms, and take steps to avoid them, it can keep them out the emergency room and hospital.^4-5 Asthma can be triggered by allergens, such as dust mites, pets, and mold, or non-allergen irritants, such as cigarette smoke. So it makes sense that reducing exposure to these triggers is one of the keys to reducing asthma symptoms.⁶

You might think, “But wait! I already know my asthma triggers based off my symptom history.” Bonus points for taking a proactive approach to your symptom history, but be aware that it isn’t as accurate as pairing this information with objective data, such as diagnostic testing.⁷ That’s because it’s not uncommon for diagnostic testing to reveal triggers a person might not expect. For example, you might think you are allergic to your dog, but maybe what you are really allergic to is the grass that the dog spends all day laying on. It’s better to know for sure, so you can make any necessary adjustments (and avoid the unnecessary ones, like rehoming Spot).