Additional help

Many people with asthma can effectively manage their disease with controller medicines. However, some asthma cases are classified as severe, which can be harder to control and more disruptive to day-to-day life.

Severe asthma often goes unrecognized, even though it usually means needing several maintenance medicines or high-dose treatments just to keep symptoms under control. People living with it may not realize their asthma is considered severe—and others may not understand how serious it can be.

If you’re experiencing frequent asthma symptoms, having to use a rescue inhaler regularly, having your activity limited by asthma, or waking up in the night because of asthma symptoms, it may mean that your asthma isn’t controlled. If you’ve needed oral steroids at least twice in the last year, or had to be hospitalized for an asthma attack even once in the last year, your asthma may not be controlled.
Only your doctor can tell you exactly how well-controlled your asthma is. But a good first step is to take the Asthma Self-Assessment to get an idea of where your asthma is.

Inflammation is normally created by your body’s immune system to help fight off certain types of infection. But sometimes your immune system can start to fight the wrong things, and can create too much inflammation. When this happens, it can lead to an inflammatory condition, like asthma. The specific type of inflammation that is predominantly linked to asthma is called type 2 inflammation.

Biologics are a type of medication, usually taken via injection, made by living cells. Biologics work differently from steroids or immunosuppressants, and can target specific parts of the body with precision and don’t work on the entire immune system. If you still experience regular symptoms, even with high-dose treatments and good adherence, your doctor may prescribe a biologic that could help improve lung function.