One of the most important things I tell patients with asthma is that how often you feel symptoms does not always tell us your future risk. New medical literature continues to emphasize that people described as having “mild” asthma can still experience significant attacks. Someone may feel completely well for weeks or months and then have a serious exacerbation after a viral infection, allergen exposure, smoke or another trigger.

This doesn’t mean that everyone with mild asthma needs aggressive treatment. It means we should look at the whole person: previous attacks, need for oral steroids or emergency care, lung function, triggers and the medications being used. Modern asthma care increasingly emphasizes having an anti-inflammatory treatment strategy and an individualized action plan rather than relying solely on how mild the asthma seems on a good day.

Our goal is not simply to treat asthma when someone is wheezing. Our goal is to prevent the next attack and allow our patients to live normally and confidently.