Long-Term Control Medicines Also called: Controller Medicines or Maintenance Medicines Many people with asthma need to take long-term control medicine every day to control their asthma and prevent symptoms. Most of these work by easing inflammation of the airways; others work by relaxing the airways and making them wider. Long-term control medicines are slow acting, which means they can take days or even weeks to begin working. They don't provide immediate relief of symptoms and shouldn't be used when treatment is needed quickly. This requires faster-acting medicines (known as quick-relief medicines) that can work right away. Back to Articles Related Articles Asthma Medicines Asthma medicine comes in two main types: quick-relief and long-term control medicines. Even if a child takes a long-term control medicine regularly, quick-relief medicine is still needed to handle flare-ups. Read More Asthma Center Visit our Asthma Center for information and advice on managing and living with asthma. 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 How Do Asthma Medicines Work? Two different types of medicines are used to treat asthma: long-term control medicines and quick-relief medicines. Read about how they work, and why people might need to take them. Read More Handling an Asthma Flare-Up How can you prepare for an asthma flare-up? Find out in this article for kids. Read More How Do Asthma Medicines Work? Kids who have asthma need to take medicine. But what kind of medicine do they take and what does it do? Let's find out. Read More Asthma Center Asthma keeps more kids home from school than any other chronic illness. Learn how to help your child manage the condition, stay healthy, and stay in school. 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.