In treating asthma, it's best to think of it as having two components:

1. Chronic (it's always there) inflammation of the air passages. This makes them hyper-sensitive to various asthma triggers (like dust mites, cockroach urine, smoke, and pollen).

2. Acute (it's there sometimes) airway obstruction caused by exposure to your asthma triggers. The chronic inflamation gets worse, and the muscles that wrap around your air passages (bronchial muscles) tighten, thus narrowing the air passages, thus causing shortness of breath. This acute stage represents the asthma attack itself.

The best approach to treating asthma is to prevent acute symptoms altogether, and this can be done by avoiding your asthma triggers, or, if your doctor thinks it's necessary, to use asthma controller medicine. Examples of asthma controller medicine are Flovent, Qvar, Advair and Symbicort.

It is also essential that all asthmatics have access at all times to asthma rescue medicine such as albuterol (Ventolin) or levalbuterol (Xopenex) to treat acute symptoms when they do occur. Most asthmatics simply carry an inhaler in their pocket or purse for this purpose.

If asthma still continues to flare up, there are other options available to you and your physician. So it's always a good idea to see your doctor on a regular basis.

Overall, however, so long as you visit your doctor regularly, avoid your asthma triggers as best you can, and take your asthma medicine exactly as prescribed, you should be able to live a normal, active life with asthma.
There are may ways to treat an asthma attack. Medications used to treat asthma are divided into two general classes: quick-relief medications used to treat acute symptoms; and long-term control medications used to prevent further exacerbation.[101]Fast acting

Salbutamol metered dose inhaler commonly used to treat asthma attacks.

Short acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonists (SABA), such as salbutamol (albuterol USAN) are the first line treatment for asthma symptoms.[3]
Anticholinergic medications, such as ipratropium bromide provide addition benefit when used in combination with SABA in those with moderate or severe symptoms.[3]
Older, less selective adrenergic agonists, such as inhaled epinephrine, have similar efficacy to SABAs.[102] They are however not recommended due to concerns regarding excessive cardiac stimulation.[103]

Long term control

Fluticasone propionate metered dose inhaler commonly used for long term control.

Glucocorticoids are the most effective treatment available for long term control.[104] Inhaled forms are usually used except in the case of severe persistent disease in which oral steroids may be needed.[104] The inhaled formulation may be used once or twice daily depending on the severity of symptoms.[105]
Long acting beta-adrenoceptor agonists (LABD) have at least a 12-hour effect. They are however not to be used without a steroid due to an increased risk of severe symptoms.[106][107][108] In December 2008, members of the FDA's drug-safety office recommended withdrawing approval for these medications in children. Discussion is ongoing about their use in adults.[109]
Leukotriene antagonist ( such as zafirlukast) are an alternative to inhaled glucocorticoids, but are not preferred. They may also be used in addition to inhaled glucocorticoids but are second line to LABD.[104]
Mast cell stabilizers (such as cromolyn sodium) are another none preferred alternative to glucocorticoids.[104]

Delivery methods

Medications are typically provided as metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) in combination with an asthma spacer or as a dry powder inhaler. The spacer is a plastic cylinder that mixes the medication with air, making it easier to receive a full dose of the drug. A nebulizer may also be used. Nebulizers and spacers are equally effective in those with mild to moderate symptoms however insufficient evidence is available to determine whether or not a difference exist in those severe symptomatology.[110]

OtherWhen an asthma attack is unresponsive to usual medications, other options available for emergency management may include:

Oxygen used to alleviate hypoxia if the saturation is less than 92%.[111]
Magnesium sulfate intravenous treatment has been shown to provide a bronchodilating effect when used in addition to other treatment in severe acute asthma attacks.[112][113]
Heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen, may also be considered in severe unresponsive cases.[113]
Intravenous salbutamol is not supported by the evidence and thus only used in extremes.[111]
Methylxanthines (such as theophylline) do not add significantly to the effects of inhaled beta-agonists.[111]
The dissociative anesthetic ketamine is theoretically useful if intubation and mechanical ventilation is needed in people who are approaching respiratory arrest however evidence from trials does not exist.[114]

Complementary medicineMany asthma patients, like those who suffer from other chronic disorders, use alternative treatments; surveys show that roughly 50% of asthma patients use some form of unconventional therapy.[115][116] There is little data to support the effectiveness of most of these therapies. Evidence is insufficient to support the usage of Vitamin C.[117] Acupuncture is not recommended for the treatment as there is insufficient evidence to support its use.[118][119] Air ionisers show no evidence that they improve asthma symptoms or benefit lung function; this applied equally to positive and negative ion generators.[120]

Dust mite control measures, including air filtration, chemicals to kill mites, vacuuming, mattress covers and others methods had no effect on asthma symptoms.[121] However, a review of 30 studies found that "bedding encasement might be an effective asthma treatment under some conditions" (when the patient is highly allergic to dust mite and the intervention reduces the dust mite exposure level from high levels to low levels).[122]

A study of "manual therapies" for asthma, including osteopathic, chiropractic, physiotherapeutic and respiratory therapeutic manoeuvres, found there is insufficient evidence to support or refute their use in treating.[123] The Buteyko breathing technique for controlling hyperventilation may result in a reduction in medications use however does not have any effect on lung function.[124] Thus an expert panel felt that evidence was insufficient to support its use.[118]
What a HUGE question!! Honestly, asthma management is a huge area, and this is best addressed by either your GP or a pulmonologist. Treatment of asthma really depends on the age of the patient and the severity of the asthma. In general though, we group asthma medications according to their actions. The two major groups of medications in asthma are relievers and preventers. Relievers are used to manage symptoms as they arise, and include the trusty ventolin inhaler. These meds are used when someone has an acute episode of asthma, with wheeze and shortness of breath. The dose depends on age and severity and should be discussed with a physician. If the asthma is more severe, and the reliever (ventolin) is required more than once a fortnight or so, then your physician may decide that a preventer is necessary. These meds include flixatide (fluticasone) and other inhaled corticosteroids which act to reduce the overall number of asthma attacks. It is important to note that while ventolin is only used when needed, reliever meds must be taken every day to have an effect. There are many other drugs, including things like salmeterol and montelukast, but these are really beyond the scope of this discussion, and should be discussed with your physician. Hopefully this helps! Aj :)
There are such machines called nebulizers which are not very well known. These machines produce mist out of water which, together with medicine, is delivered directly to lungs. That's a fast and quite effective treatment that I believe is more healthy because less medicine has to be used.

I found a nice website about these machines (check for link below). Seems it's quite new but very informative.

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