9 Ways to Fight Asthma and Allergies

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How to beat asthma

By Amanda Gardner

If you have asthma, there's a good chance that an underlying allergy—whether it's to dust mites, pollen, cockroaches, or cat dander—is playing a key role in your breathing problems. (About 60% to 90% of people with asthma have allergic asthma.)

The first step is to avoid the allergen, but that's not always possible or sufficient to stop symptoms, like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

That's where medication comes in. Here are some common drugs used to treat allergic asthma.

Next: Inhaled corticosteroids