Asthma Specialist

asthma treatment

If you need help managing chronic asthma symptoms, you can find it at Apex Allergy and Asthma. At their two offices in San Antonio, Texas, Mark Stahl, DO, provides reliable and effective treatments to help you manage the wheezing and shortness of breath that asthma causes. You learn how to reduce your risk of suffering from severe asthma attacks by making lifestyle changes, taking medications, and receiving treatments that support your respiratory health. Call the Apex Allergy and Asthma office nearest you to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.

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Asthma Q & A

  • What is asthma?

    Asthma is a lung condition that often shows up in childhood. Asthma makes it difficult to breathe, and asthma attacks inflame your airways, making them narrower. Your body also produces more mucus than usual, making it difficult to take in enough air to breathe.


    You might also experience these symptoms at the same time:

    • Wheezing
    • Coughing
    • Chest tightness

    Your risk for developing asthma increases if the disease runs in your family, if you work around chemicals that irritate your lungs, or if you have allergies. You might also be at increased risk of getting asthma if you’re obese.

  • How is asthma diagnosed?

    To determine if your symptoms point to asthma or another kind of lung disorder, the providers at Apex Allergy and Asthma offer on-site pulmonary (lung) function tests. These noninvasive tests involve breathing into a machine that measures how much air you move in and out of your lungs and how fast you move it.


    Your doctor might also order blood tests and skin allergy tests to identify what substances trigger your asthma symptoms.


    Your provider at Apex Allergy and Asthma will look at your diet, lifestyle, job, and other factors that can contribute to asthma attacks.

  • What treatments are available for asthma?

    At Apex Allergies and Asthma, you receive customized treatment to manage your asthma and prevent asthma attacks.


    Medications are generally the first treatment for asthma. Your asthma specialist can prescribe:


    Short-acting medications

    Short-acting medications quickly open up (dilate) your airways. You inhale the medication when you’re having an asthma attack.


    Long-acting medications

    Long-acting medications like corticosteroids treat airway inflammation.These medicines also reduce your risk of suffering from asthma attacks.


    Biologics

    This therapy targets specific parts of your immune system that contribute to your asthma. Typically only for the most severe of asthma patients, these medications help prevent emergency room visits, steroid courses and hospitalizations. 


    Immunotherapy

    Immunotherapy is another way to treat allergy-induced asthma. This involves injecting  small amounts of certain allergens to change how your body reacts. Over time, immunotherapy reduces your risk of having severe allergen-triggered asthma attacks.


    The providers at Apex Allergy and Asthma work with you to make diet and lifestyle changes that reduce your exposure to the allergens that trigger asthma.


    Call the Apex Allergy and Asthma office nearest you to schedule an asthma consultation or book an appointment online today.