Quick-Relief Medicines (also called Rescue or Fast-Acting Medicines) Quick-relief medicines are a type of asthma medicine that works quickly. They "rescue" the person from wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Most of these medicines are inhaled and work by relaxing the muscle around the airways. When the muscles are relaxed, the airways are wider, which makes it easier to move air in and out of the lungs. But quick-relief medicines won't prevent future asthma flare-ups and may not be enough to keep someone's asthma under control. Long-term control medicine, taken daily, is often needed to keep the airways from getting swollen and narrow in the first place. Back to Articles Related Articles Asthma Asthma makes it hard to breathe. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Asthma Action Plan When things are confusing, a plan really helps. Check out this asthma action plan, which you can print out and use to manage breathing trouble. Read More Asthma Center Asthma means breathing problems. Find out what's going on in the lungs and how to stay healthy, if you have it. Read More What's an Asthma Action Plan? If you have asthma, you'll want to have an asthma action plan. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.