Asthma is an ongoing condition that causes the airways to swell and become narrow, making it hard to breathe. It can also cause coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and long-term damage to the lungs. Asthma is often passed down from parent to child, but it also can be caused by a severe respiratory infection during childhood, allergic conditions, and exposure to certain types of chemicals or workplace dust. Asthma attacks can happen at any time, but physical activity such as sports or exercise often triggers an attack.
The main treatment for asthma is daily use of inhaled steroids to reduce airway inflammation, as well as medications called bronchodilators that relax and open up the airways. Some patients require additional treatments to keep their asthma under control. If your asthma is not well-controlled, talk to your doctor about ways to improve your symptoms. Please see the Resources section at the bottom right of this page for more information and a link to an online quiz to help determine if your asthma is controlled or uncontrolled.
The experts at the UAB Medicine Asthma Clinic provide advanced treatments such as monoclonal antibodies, which target the inflammation caused by asthma. The clinic is part of UAB Pulmonary Services, which is ranked among the best programs of its kind in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and our physicians are consistently listed among the Best Doctors in America for respiratory disease. We serve patients at the main UAB Medicine campus and also at our convenient neighborhood clinics in Hoover and Gardendale.
Find a Provider to Schedule an Appointment
Resources
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
- Global Initiative for Asthma
- American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- American Lung Association
Related Specialties
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Low-Dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer
- Smoking Cessation
Clinical Trials
Speak to your physician about your options and browse the link below for more information
Latest News
View All News-
Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship names winners of 2023 Innovation Awards
October 31, 2023
-
First-ever Blazer Bridge Fund grant recipients announced
October 2, 2023
-
UAB HHT Clinic named Center of Excellence
July 11, 2023
-
Dupilumab lessens disease in COPD patients with type 2 inflammation
June 20, 2023
-
How cadmium-induced inflammation increases the severity and mortality of lung infections
April 19, 2023