Asthma Care

Asthma is a problem in the airways that lasts a long time and makes it hard to breathe. It can’t be cured, but it can be controlled. People with asthma can live full, active lives.

Baystate Health’s lung specialists can help you understand and take control of your asthma.

Baystate offers pulmonary care for both adults and children. Our board-certified lung specialists can diagnose, treat, and help you manage asthma. Our collaborative team includes respiratory nurses, rehabilitation specialists, and pulmonologists.

ASTHMA CARE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Our team of experts works closely with you to make sure you understand your condition and how to care for it. We offer one-on-one asthma coaching to help you avoid asthma attacks and emergencies. We can also connect you to community resources, such as in-home visits and support from school nurses.

Baystate Pediatric Pulmonology offers families excellent care in a brand new facility that’s designed just for kids.

At our Pulmonary Function Lab, we use the latest pulmonary function test (PFTs) to assess your breathing and create a treatment plan.

ASTHMA PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Asthma is widespread in Springfield, and the Baystate pulmonary team works hard to educate and care for community members who have breathing problems.

Baystate participates in many local asthma programs, including:

Springfield Healthy Homes Asthma Program (SHHAP): (SHHAP) is a program of the BeHealthy Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that’s focused on improving the health of low-income families living with asthma. Community health workers from Baystate Pulmonary Rehabilitation work with the Revitalize Community Development Corporation to provide in-home education and home repair related to asthma.

Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition: This local health program provides asthma education and resources to families, schools and community groups. It also provides in-home visit for older adults with asthma.

How do I know if I have asthma?

When your asthma is not well controlled, common symptoms include:

Wheezing
Frequent coughing
Shortness of breath, also called dyspnea
Tightness in your chest

If you or your child have these symptoms, it’s time to visit your primary care provider. If your provider thinks you might have asthma, they will ask you to see a pulmonologist—a doctor who specializes in asthma and other breathing problems.

Baystate Health's pulmonary experts are available throughout western Massachusetts. They work to diagnose, treat, and help you manage your asthma. Baystate also provides many resources in the community.

How is asthma diagnosed?

If you think you may have asthma, talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms.

To diagnose asthma, a pulmonologist (lung doctor) will discuss your symptoms and review your health history.

Your doctor will also perform breathing tests, also called lung function tests. The most common test is called spirometry, which tests the amount of air you breathe in and out. Your doctor may recommend allergy testing.

Because there are many types of asthma and many different things that cause asthma, your provider might need to do other tests as well.

How is asthma treated?

When you’re first diagnosed with asthma, you and your doctor will work together to create an asthma action plan. Every asthma action plan should include:

A list of things that make your asthma worse (your “triggers”)
Medicines you should take every day when your asthma is under control and your breathing is fine (your “control medicine”)
Medicines you should take when you have some problems breathing (your “quick-relief medicine”)
Medicines you should take when you are having a lot of problems breathing
Who to call in an emergency
Your doctor’s name and phone number

Asthma is typically treated using a combination of control and quick-relief medication. It’s important that you use the medication properly. If you have questions about your prescriptions or inhaler, call your doctor.

The symptoms of asthma may come and go, but asthma is a lifelong condition. That means you’ll see your doctor every six to 12 months or when your symptoms worsen.

What causes asthma?

No one knows exactly why people have asthma. Asthma is often genetic (runs in families), and environmental factors like air quality, smoke, and allergies can play a role.

Here are some of the reasons people develop asthma:

Allergies: Some allergic conditions are linked to asthma. If allergies run in your family, you might have allergies too.
Genetics: If your mom or dad has asthma, then you might get asthma too.
Lung Infections. If you have a lung infection as a baby, it might cause inflammation and damage to your lung tissue. Lung damage in infancy or early childhood can impact lung function later in life.
Environment: Contact with allergens, irritants, dust, and chemicals may cause asthma.

Triggers

"Triggers" are things that cause (or trigger) changes in the airways and cause asthma symptoms. For people with asthma, triggers include

Respiratory (lung) infections
Allergens
Chemicals
Odors
Physical activity
Emotions
Seasonal changes
Smoking (or breathing smoke)

Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms and triggers. Once you have identified your triggers, you and your doctor can work together to find ways to avoid triggers and manage your symptoms.