Can Asthma Be Cured? Your Guide to Asthma Treatments

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects the airways in your lungs. More than 25 million people in the U.S. have asthma, leading to nearly 1 million emergency department visits each year. 

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for asthma. Some children seem to outgrow it as they get older. But for most people, asthma is a lifelong condition. Thankfully, there are many effective medications that can help control asthma symptoms so people can live active and fulfilling lives. 

Part of the reason there’s no cure for asthma is that researchers don’t understand exactly what causes it. It’s clear that asthma happens when a person’s genes combine with certain environmental factors to cause inflammation in the airways. And asthma symptoms are triggered by certain factors like cold weather, viruses, or allergies. 

Researchers are still studying the causes and treatments for different types of asthma. In the future, medications may be able to cure the airway inflammation that causes asthma — but we’re not quite there yet.

The 8 best asthma treatments

There’s no cure for asthma. But there are excellent treatments that can help you control your symptoms and lower your chances of having an asthma attack. Here are some of the best and most commonly used asthma treatments.

1. Asthma inhalers 

Inhalers are devices that deliver medications into your lungs. You breathe in medication through your mouth and into your lungs. Asthma inhalers are the backbone of asthma treatment. They come in different shapes and sizes but can be broadly categorized into three groups: 

• Inhaled bronchodilators: These medications, also known as beta agonists, open up your airways to help more air pass through. Short-acting bronchodilators help provide immediate relief during an asthma attack. Long-acting bronchodilators help prevent asthma attacks.

• Inhaled corticosteroids: Steroid inhalers reduce airway inflammation (swelling) and keep your airways calm. They’re used daily to help prevent flare-ups. 

• Combination inhalers: These inhalers combine corticosteroids with one or two long-acting bronchodilators in a single device. They’re a convenient and effective way to maximize asthma treatment without having to take multiple medications.

2. Tiotropium

Tiotropium (Spiriva) is a type of inhaled bronchodilator called a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA). It works by relaxing the muscles around your airways. Tiotropium has been around for years. It’s a common treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

Multiple studies have shown that tiotropium is safe and effective as an add-on treatment for people ages 6 and older who still have asthma symptoms after using inhaled steroids. 

3. Montelukast

Montelukast (Singulair) is an oral asthma medication that can be added to asthma treatment for some people. It works by blocking certain chemicals that cause inflammation and swelling in the airways. 

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• Curious about over-the-counter (OTC) asthma relief? Learn which inhalers work for mild symptoms — and which ones don’t.

• Inhalers can be pricey, but they don’t have to be. Compare rescue and maintenance options and learn how to save with generics and top brands. 

• Not all inhalers work the same. Learn how each type helps your lungs and how to choose the one that fits your asthma needs. 

• Looking for natural relief? Explore science-backed home remedies — from diet tips to breathing exercises — that may help ease asthma. 

• Get to know your daily control options. Learn how daily maintenance inhalers work and explore the three types of long-acting medications that help keep asthma symptoms in check.

Singulair is usually an option for people with both allergies and asthma, who are already taking an antihistamine. But it’s less effective for asthma than inhaled steroids. There’s also a serious risk of mental health problems for people taking montelukast, among other side effects.

4. Biologics

Monoclonal antibodies, or biologics, are a newer class of medications that show promise for treating asthma. They’re lab-made proteins (antibodies) designed to target some of the cells and chemicals that cause airway inflammation. Biologics are recommended to be added when other treatment options haven’t worked well enough.

Five biologics have been approved so far: 

• Omalizumab (Xolair): This is an injection that’s given under the skin to help treat asthma symptoms in people 6 years and older with moderate to severe allergic asthma. It can also improve lung function for people with nonallergic asthma.

• Dupixent (dupilumab): Dupixent is also an injection under the skin. It reduces asthma attacks by almost half and also improves lung function. It’s approved for people 6 years old and up.

• Anti-IL-5 therapies: These include Nucala (mepolizumab) for ages 6 and up, Fasenra (benralizumab) for ages 12 and up, and Cinqair (reslizumab) for ages 18 and up. These medications are given by intravenous (IV) infusion or an injection under the skin. 

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5. Theophylline

Theophylline is an oral medication that’s been used for decades to treat asthma. It works by relaxing the muscles around your airways and reducing inflammation. Unlike inhaled medications, theophylline is taken by mouth, usually as an extended-release tablet.

Because it has to be swallowed and absorbed through your digestive system, theophylline doesn’t work as quickly as inhalers. It also requires regular blood level checks, since too much can cause serious side effects like heart rhythm problems, nausea, or seizures.

For this reason, theophylline isn’t used as often anymore. But it can still be an option for people who don’t respond well to inhaled treatments or can’t access other therapies.

6. Bronchial thermoplasty

Bronchial thermoplasty is a procedure (not a medication) that shows promise as an asthma treatment. Heat is applied to your airways to reduce the amount of muscle around them. The FDA approved it for adults whose asthma symptoms continue despite taking inhaled steroids and bronchodilators. 

Studies show that bronchial thermoplasty reduces attacks and emergency department visits. Because it’s a newer procedure, researchers don’t yet know its long-term effects or who benefits most.

7. Desensitization (for AERD only)

Desensitization is an effective procedure for people with a type of asthma called aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, or AERD. 

With desensitization, a person is slowly given higher and higher doses of aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and monitored for potential allergy symptoms. For safety reasons, desensitization must be performed by an allergy specialist in a medical facility. 

Desensitization can make it safe for people with AERD to take aspirin again — and it can even become part of asthma treatment. This approach improves symptoms in about 6 out of 10 people with AERD.

8. Allergy immunotherapy (for allergic asthma only)

Allergy immunotherapy, also called allergy shots or allergy tablets, is a treatment option for people whose asthma is triggered by allergies. It works by slowly retraining your immune system to react less strongly to allergens like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander.

The treatment involves regular injections (allergy shots) or daily dissolving tablets taken under the tongue. Over time, this can reduce both allergy and asthma symptoms.

Unlike other asthma treatments that work for most people with asthma, immunotherapy is only helpful if your asthma is clearly tied to allergies. It also requires a long-term commitment — usually months to years — to see the full benefits. But for people with allergic asthma who don’t get enough relief from standard medications, immunotherapy can be a valuable add-on therapy.

Types of asthma

Asthma types differ in severity, triggers, and symptoms. As we’ve seen, different asthma treatments work best for different causes and types of asthma. Depending on the type of asthma you have, some treatments may work better than others. 

Let’s review some of the more common types of asthma. 

Allergic asthma

This is the most common type of asthma. In allergic asthma, triggers like dust, pollen, or pet dander causes the immune system in your lungs to react. The result is airway swelling and difficulty breathing. Skin testing can help to identify triggers for this type of asthma.

Nonallergic asthma

This type of asthma is linked to nonallergic triggers like smoke, pollution, stress, or weather changes. Nonallergic asthma tends to be more severe and difficult to treat. Skin testing for triggers isn’t usually helpful.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)

About 7% of people with asthma have aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). 

Symptoms of AERD are triggered by taking aspirin or other NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). 

Sinus problems and nasal polyps are also common with this type of asthma. For unknown reasons, AERD is more common in adults than in children.

Asthma with obesity

Scientists used to just think that being considered obese was a risk factor for adult-onset asthma. Now experts know that it’s actually a separate type of asthma. The link between weight and asthma isn’t yet fully understood.

Exercise-induced asthma

Exercise-induced asthma happens when exercise triggers chest tightness and coughing. For some people, it occurs as part of a known asthma diagnosis. For others, asthma symptoms only occur with exercise. Using an inhaler before exercise can be very helpful for preventing symptoms.

Asthma symptoms

Asthma symptoms vary. What asthma feels like can be different from person to person. For most people, symptoms are often worse at night or first thing in the morning. Certain triggers can make symptoms worse, but they may go away completely at other times. 

The most common symptoms of asthma are: 

• Breathlessness

• Wheezing (noisy breathing)

• Chest tightness

• Cough 

Asthma symptoms can be intermittent, meaning they only happen occasionally. Or they can be persistent, which means they happen more frequently. For people with persistent asthma, symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe. How severe your asthma is helps determine which treatment plan is best for you. 

Sometimes, symptoms can come on suddenly. An asthma attack is when the airways in your lungs become tight and swollen. Although rare, asthma attacks can be deadly. During an asthma attack, you may feel like you can’t breathe and have chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing.

Why is asthma so hard to cure?

One reason there’s no asthma cure is that your body’s own immune system causes asthma attacks. The immune system is very complex. It involves many chemical signals released during an allergic response. Scientists are still learning what these chemical signals do during an asthma attack and why this happens. These chemical signals are critical for a healthy immune system, so we can’t just wipe them out when they cause problems.

But some of these signals can be targeted with medications, such as with the biologics mentioned above. Biologics are a big development in asthma treatments, but they’re likely just the beginning. There are still many more chemical pathways in the body and immune system to discover and study.

Another reason asthma is so hard to cure is that scientists still don’t understand the whole picture of how it’s inherited. While scientists are quickly identifying genes that are responsible, there’s still much more work to be done.

Can you grow out of asthma?

It’s possible for some people with asthma to achieve remission. Here’s what this means:

• They no longer have asthma symptoms or asthma attacks.

• Their lung function has gone back to normal.

Some people achieve remission with medications, while others no longer need it. Children are much more likely than adults to stop having asthma symptoms without using medications. This is what people describe as “growing out of asthma.” 

About half of all children seem to grow out of their asthma. But studies suggest that only 1 in 6 adults will become free of symptoms. 

Nevertheless, this picture is more complex than it seems. About half of both children and adults who become free of symptoms still have abnormal lung function. This means that even if they don’t have symptoms, they aren’t considered to be in full remission and may be prone to relapse when they get older.

Overall, a person with asthma is more likely to go into remission if they:

• Were younger when diagnosed

• Had milder asthma symptoms to begin with

• Never smoked or quit smoking

• Have better lung function 

• Have fewer chronic medical conditions

• Have had asthma symptoms for fewer years

Another way of achieving remission is through the use of biologic medications. This is called treatment-induced remission. One reason that biologics are an exciting development is that, unlike traditional medications, biologics sometimes induce remission. 

One study showed that after at least 12 months of treatment with biologic medication, remission rates ranged from 21% to 36% in people who had severe asthma before treatment. 

Researchers are still trying to understand whether biologic medications can be stopped after a person goes into remission. If so, this would be the closest thing to a cure for asthma so far. More research is needed to understand what factors can affect whether a person could remain in remission, even after stopping treatment. 

Asthma prevention

You may not be able to get rid of your asthma, but there are ways to help prevent asthma attacks. The following tips can help you keep your asthma symptoms at bay: 

• Avoid triggers. If you know your asthma triggers, it’s important to avoid these as much as possible. For example, most people need to avoid smoke — including both active smoking and secondhand smoke. 

• Use inhalers as prescribed. If you have preventive inhalers or other preventive medications, be sure to use these every day as prescribed.

• Have an action plan. An asthma action plan can help you decide what to do if you start having symptoms. Your plan should be unique to you and your asthma. If you don’t have an action plan, ask your primary care provider to create one with you.

• Stay healthy. It’s important for everyone to stay active and eat a nutritious diet to help prevent asthma attacks. It’s also important to get enough sleep and maintain a comfortable weight. Getting your yearly flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine will also lower your risk of severe disease during flu season.

Frequently asked questions

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. A pulmonologist and hospitalist, she practiced and taught clinical medicine at hospitals in London for a decade before entering a career in health education and technology.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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