Asthma Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is asthma treatment?
Asthma treatment is an ongoing partnership between you and your chest specialist, aimed at airways that stay quiet day and night. In asthma the lining of the airways is inflamed and over-sensitive, so dust, smoke, cold air or a cold virus can make the muscles around them tighten. The result is wheeze, cough, chest tightness and breathlessness that come and go.
Good control means sleeping through the night, working and exercising freely, and rarely reaching for a reliever. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, adult asthma is managed by our pulmonologist. Care for children is described on the childhood asthma treatment page.
Who needs it
This service is for adults with a known asthma diagnosis whose symptoms are troublesome, and for adults with symptoms that suggest asthma for the first time. It suits you if you:
- Use your reliever inhaler more than twice a week
- Wake at night with cough or wheeze
- Have needed emergency care or steroid tablets for a flare
- Cough for weeks after every cold
- Notice symptoms at work that ease on days off or holidays
- Were diagnosed years ago, possibly abroad, and have had no review since
Asthma that starts in adulthood deserves a proper look. Symptoms that improve on weekends and return on working days point towards occupational asthma, which is common among people in construction, cleaning, bakeries, carpentry, spray painting and industrial work.
What happens
Your first visit begins with the pattern of your symptoms: timing, triggers, night waking, and how often you use your reliever. The pulmonologist examines your chest and then confirms the diagnosis with spirometry, a breathing test in which you blow hard into a mouthpiece. The test is usually repeated after a reliever puff; a clear improvement in airflow supports asthma. Fuller pulmonary function testing or a chest X-ray is added when the picture needs clarifying.
Treatment is organised by purpose:
| Inhaler type | Purpose | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Reliever | Opens tight airways within minutes | For symptoms, or before exercise if advised |
| Preventer | Settles airway inflammation over weeks | Every day, including good days |
| Combination | Preventer and long-acting opener in one device | As your plan directs |
Every visit includes a technique check. You use your own inhaler while the pulmonologist watches, because timing the puff with a slow, deep breath and holding that breath afterwards decides how much medicine reaches the lungs. A spacer is often recommended for adults too.
You leave with a written asthma action plan setting out your daily treatment, the early warning signs, the steps to take when symptoms build, and the point at which to seek urgent help.
Local triggers are discussed in detail: dust and sandstorms, mould in air-conditioning units, the jump from outdoor heat to chilled indoor air, incense and bakhoor, and smoke from cigarettes, shisha, dokha and vapes. Stopping smoking is supported through our smoking cessation service.
For a small group with severe asthma that stays troublesome despite correct technique and full inhaled treatment, specialist add-on options exist, including biologic injections that target the specific type of inflammation driving attacks. Blood tests and allergy assessment help identify who is likely to benefit, and the pulmonologist explains whether these fit your situation and how they are arranged.
Preparing for it
Bring every inhaler and spacer you use, in the actual devices, plus any tablets. Bring previous spirometry results, discharge letters and chest X-rays, including reports from your home country.
Your reliever may affect the breathing test, so ask the clinic when you book whether to pause it beforehand. Keep a symptom diary for a couple of weeks: night waking, reliever puffs, and anything that seemed to set symptoms off, such as work shifts, a dusty day or a particular room.
Afterwards
Reviews are planned regularly, more often while treatment is being adjusted. Once asthma is well controlled for a sustained period, the pulmonologist may step treatment down to the lowest dose that keeps you well. Rinse your mouth after each preventer dose, have a yearly flu vaccine, and clean air-conditioning filters regularly.
If you plan to fast during Ramadan, raise it at your review. Many people adjust inhaler timing to the hours before suhoor and after iftar, and your plan can be adapted to suit.
Contact the clinic on 06 599 7777 if you need your reliever more often than usual, wake at night with symptoms, or your action plan feels unclear.
Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department straight away if you are too breathless to speak in full sentences, your reliever is not helping or is needed again within a short time, your lips or fingertips turn blue or grey, or you become drowsy or confused.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover specialist consultations, spirometry and routine asthma inhalers. Biologic treatments and some newer inhalers usually need insurance pre-approval, supported by test results and a record of previous treatment. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks and side effects of asthma treatment?
Asthma treatment is considered safe at prescribed doses, and poorly controlled asthma carries far greater risk than its medicines. Preventer inhalers can cause a hoarse voice or oral thrush, which rinsing the mouth after each dose helps prevent, and relievers can cause a brief tremor or fast heartbeat. Treatment controls asthma rather than curing it, so symptoms can return if a preventer is stopped.
Do I need spirometry to be diagnosed with asthma?
Spirometry is the standard way to confirm asthma in adults, because it shows narrowed airflow that improves after a reliever. A normal result on a good day does not rule asthma out, so the test may be repeated or combined with other lung function tests.
Why do I need a preventer if my reliever works?
A preventer treats the airway inflammation behind asthma, while a reliever only eases symptoms for a few hours. Relying on the reliever alone leaves the inflammation untreated and is linked to more severe attacks.
Can asthma start in adulthood?
Asthma can start at any age, including in adults with no childhood history. Adult-onset asthma is often linked to workplace exposures, allergies, respiratory infections or smoking, so the pulmonologist looks carefully for a trigger.
Can I fast during Ramadan with asthma?
Many people with well-controlled asthma fast safely by moving their preventer inhaler to suhoor and iftar. Discuss your plan with the pulmonologist before Ramadan, and break the fast to use your reliever if you have symptoms.
What are biologic treatments for asthma?
Biologics are specialist injections for severe asthma that target a specific pathway of airway inflammation. They are considered only after inhaler technique, adherence and triggers have been addressed, and usually need insurance pre-approval.
Does air conditioning make asthma worse?
Air conditioning can worsen asthma when filters and ducts collect dust and mould, or when you move abruptly between outdoor heat and very cold rooms. Regular filter cleaning and moderate thermostat settings help.
Is asthma treatment covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover asthma consultations, spirometry and standard inhalers, while biologics usually need pre-approval. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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