Doctor, is it true that

Can asthma be cured? From age to severity: here are the factors to consider

The National Medical Association's team of doctors and anti-fraud experts answers the most important health questions

4 May 2026

Eight year old boy using an inhaler to treat an asthma attack. Asthma causes breathing difficulties due to the contraction of the airways in the lungs. The pump dispenses 100 micrograms of the bronchodilator drug salbutamol (salbutamol sulphate BP) per dose to giving rapid relief from wheezing and breathlessness. This pump uses a non-CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) propellant. LEWIS HOUGHTON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / AGF

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Can asthma be completely cured?
Is it true that children with asthma often improve as they grow up?
Are there treatments that can reduce or eliminate symptoms?
What can you actually do to get better with asthma?

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Three hundred million worldwide, three and a half million in Italia: that's how many people suffer from asthma, a chronic disease affecting the respiratory tract. Those with asthma may experience episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. A question that many patients and family members ask is: can asthma be cured permanently? The answer is not simple and depends on several factors, including the age at which the disease started and its severity. On the occasion of World Asthma Day, which is celebrated every year on the first Tuesday in May, we answer some questions about this chronic disease.

Can asthma be completely cured?

The word 'cure' is not the right one when it comes to asthma. In medicine, we prefer to speak of 'remission': a more or less long period in which symptoms disappear and there is no need to take medication. However, remission does not mean that the disease is gone forever.

According to the international guidelines of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), the goal of therapy is not cure, but control of the disease. Controlling asthma well means minimising symptoms, preventing crises and maintaining a normal quality of life. With the treatments available today, this is achievable for the vast majority of patients.

Is it true that children with asthma often get better as they grow up?

Yes, this is a fact documented in the scientific literature. Many children who suffer from asthma notice an improvement in symptoms during adolescence, to the point where they appear to be completely 'cured'. This happens more often in boys and in those with a milder form of asthma.

However, a long-term study conducted on a cohort of more than a thousand people followed from childhood to adulthood showed that in a significant proportion of cases, the disease can recur after years of apparent well-being. As for asthma appearing in adulthood, spontaneous remission is rarer: the disease tends to persist over time, although good therapy often keeps it under control.

It is important to know that asthma is not the same for everyone: there are different forms, with different causes and mechanisms. This variety explains why therapy is always customised and why what works well for one person may not be the right choice for another.

Are there any treatments that can reduce or eliminate symptoms?

The drugs currently available do not cure asthma, but they can control the symptoms very effectively. The most widely used therapies are inhalant drugs, which act directly on the bronchi by reducing inflammation and widening the pathways.

It is crucial not to stop them on their own, even when one feels well. This is one of the most common mistakes: many patients stop taking their medication at times when they feel better, interpreting wellness as healing. In reality, it is often the therapy itself that keeps them in that state. Discontinuing it without medical indication is one of the most frequent causes of sudden seizures, even in those whose disease has been well controlled for some time.

For cases of severe asthma, which is not controlled by usual treatments, there are now several biological therapies that act on specific mechanisms of inflammation. The number of these drugs has expanded significantly in recent years, with options targeting different patient profiles. The international GINA guidelines document that these treatments significantly reduce crises and improve quality of life in patients with severe asthma. The choice of the most suitable biologic is determined by the specialist on the basis of the patient's individual characteristics.

A further treatment option, especially for those with asthma of allergic origin, is specific immunotherapy, commonly known as 'allergy vaccine'. The GINA guidelines recognise this therapy as an approach that can reduce sensitivity to the allergens responsible for attacks, with documented benefits in selected patients.

What can be done concretely to get better with asthma?

In addition to medication, there are some habits that really make a difference. Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor to avoid: it worsens symptoms, reduces the effectiveness of medication and accelerates the decline in respiratory function. It is also helpful to limit exposure to other possible triggers, such as house dust, mould, pollen and smog.

As we have seen in 'Doctor, but is it true that if I have asthma I cannot do sport', physical activity, if well managed, is also recommended and can contribute to controlling the disease.

Regular check-ups by the general practitioner or a pulmonary specialist are essential to adapt treatment over time, as asthma can change over the years. As part of this process, the GINA guidelines recommend that each patient should have a written, personalised action plan: a simple document, agreed with the doctor, indicating what to do if symptoms worsen, when to intensify therapy and when to go to the emergency room. Having it at hand can make all the difference in emergency situations.

Read the full fact sheet on the doctormaeveroche of Fnomceo