Asthma Action Plan: How to control allergic asthma symptoms

October 2023  |  Nikki Bornhorst

Asthma can be terrifying, and there are serious consequences for people with asthma if it's left unchecked (more than 400,000 people worldwide die each year).¹ In the U.S., ten people die every day due to asthma and nearly all these deaths can be prevented.²

This is why it's important to take steps towards getting asthma under control and preventing symptoms from worsening.

While there is no cure for asthma, some of the most important steps someone with asthma and allergies can take are to (1) schedule an appointment with their health provider to get an allergy diagnostic test, such as specific IgE blood testing, and (2) use those test results to develop an asthma action plan.

By getting a specific IgE blood test to help your healthcare provider identify if allergic triggers (and which ones, if so) may be contributing to asthma attacks and establishing an asthma action plan, you and your healthcare provider can work as a team to better understand your symptoms and reduce exposure to triggers that may play a role in worsening symptoms or even exacerbations.

But before we get into exactly what an asthma action plan is, we need to first have a solid understanding of how allergies and asthma affect one another and can cause allergic asthma. 

Allergies and Asthma

The two main risk factors for developing asthma are:¹

• A family history (genetic predisposition)
• Exposure to triggers that provoke an allergic reaction or irritate the airways

You can't change your genetics, but you do have the power to minimize your exposure to allergic triggers that may cause asthma symptoms.

Sensitization to inhaled environmental allergens occurs in more than 80% of children and adolescents and in 60% of adults with asthma.¹ This is why National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines for asthma recommend uncovering allergens that may exacerbate uncontrolled asthma symptoms in order to properly manage and decrease the risk of asthma attacks.³

The best way to start this journey towards relief is by gaining a better understanding of the allergy symptoms that contribute to asthma by speaking to your healthcare provider and getting a specific IgE allergy blood test.¹

Specific IgE testing helps identify which allergens may contribute to worsening symptoms or exacerbations and can help healthcare providers create asthma action plans (more on this later) as well as gain important insights before administering allergy shots during immunotherapy.

What is an Asthma Action Plan?

An asthma action plan is a written “cheat sheet” that provides guidance on how to help keep asthma symptoms in check and what to do if they get out of control.

A typical written plan includes:⁴

• A list of your potential allergic triggers and other non-allergic irritants to avoid
• How to know if you are having an asthma attack and what to do
• Which asthma medications to take and when to take them
• When to call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room
• Who to contact in an emergency

These plans are typically broken down into the following easy-to-understand, traffic light colored sections:⁵

Green Zone = Good

• No cough, wheeze, chest tightness or shortness of breath
• Can do usual activities

Yellow Zone = Caution

• Some cough, wheeze, chest tightness or shortness of breath
• Can do some, but not all, usual activities

Red Zone = Danger

• Very short of breath
• Quick-relief medicine (inhaler) not helping
• Cannot do usual activities

And of course, the plans highlight actions (hence, the name) that you should take every day while in the green zone and what to do if you reach the yellow and red zones as well.

A quick Google search will show you a variety of asthma action plans you can explore. But keep in mind, you shouldn't create these plans on your own. Asthma actions plans should be created by a healthcare provider.

Check out our example plan here:

Why Create an Asthma Action Plan?

Several studies have shown the benefits of providing action plans to asthma patients – children and adults – including a reduction in the number of attacks, fewer visits to the emergency room, and an overall improvement of the quality of life.⁴

And if your asthma is getting worse because symptoms start to increase or an attack is on the horizon, knowing what to do to control your asthma –thanks to that action plan – can make all the difference for your peace of mind.

How to Create an Asthma Action Plan?

Your healthcare provider is key in creating these plans, and a wide variety of clinicians can help, including primary care providers, allergists, asthma specialists, pediatricians, and more.

Most patients with asthma are seen in the primary care setting and most primary care providers have access to specific IgE testing.¹ Once tested, the results are used by your healthcare provider, along with medical history and physical examination to help rule in or rule out potential triggers and provide insights on creating an effective asthma management plan.¹

That management plan includes being prepared for and even helping to predict attacks, responses to therapies, and the development of personalized asthma action plans.¹

Remember, your healthcare provider will create your asthma action plan with you, and you should not create a plan on your own.

Schedule an appointment with your provider to see if specific IgE testing is appropriate for you and to develop an asthma action plan.