Support for Asthma

If you are diagnosed with asthma, follow-up appointments with your NYU Langone pulmonologist, or lung specialist, are crucial. He or she can monitor your overall lung health and assess your progress after medical treatment. Many people with asthma who receive appropriate treatment are able to control their symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. 

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation can be helpful for people with chronic or severe asthma who are not responding very well to medication. At NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation, each individual with asthma is evaluated by a doctor with expertise in pulmonary rehabilitation. Your rehabilitation doctor may recommend a personalized fitness evaluation from a certified physical therapist or an exercise physiologist, as well as a stress test to evaluate how well your lungs and heart are working. Based on the results, an exercise program is tailored to your specific needs. 

There are several goals of pulmonary rehabilitation: to stimulate the muscles throughout your body in order to recondition your heart and lungs; to improve your exercise capacity and activity tolerance; to improve your breathing and your ability to complete your daily activities comfortably; and to teach you techniques to manage shortness of breath.

Dietary Changes

If gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) contributes to your asthma symptoms, registered dietitians and nutritionists at NYU Langone can help create an eating plan specifically for you that can help reduce symptoms of GERD. 

Research shows that being overweight or obese can also contribute to GERD because the excess weight puts pressure on the stomach, forcing acid and other stomach contents upward into the esophagus. NYU Langone’s Weight Management Program has specialists who can help you lose weight and keep it off. 

Tobacco Cessation

Doctors strongly discourage people with asthma from smoking. Quitting can help to relieve symptoms and prevent asthma from getting worse. NYU Langone’s Tobacco Cessation Programs can help you quit smoking for good.

Clinical Trials

NYU Langone offers access to ongoing clinical trials of new medications that may show promise for people with asthma. These scientific research studies are meant to test new therapies for asthma before they are approved by government regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Your doctor can discuss whether a clinical trial may benefit you, as well as the requirements for enrolling.