Does continued use of albuterol cure or just relieve symptoms

[marekny7]

My son is 1.5 yrs. He has had a rattle in his chest for the last year off and on. Every time he sees the doc they prescribe antibiotics and breathing treatments of albuterol with a nebulizer. This time, he finished meds, still has rattle and every time I give a breathing treatment he clears up for about 20 mins and it comes right back. Is the albuterol actually doing anything to fix the problem or is it just a temporary relief from the symptoms? I feel like I'm giving him meds that aren't doing anything.

[Sexi baby girl]

Albuterol does not eliminate the problem, cure the problem, or anything else. Long term use of it can actually cause more problems. It is a symptom reliever and nothing more. That's why in adults they consider it a "fast acting inhaler" for asthma but it never cures asthma, only treats the symptoms and helps you breathe easier. That's why there are other problems used for "controllers" in asthma now, that are used before symptoms to prevent symptoms, rather than albuterol which only treats symptoms.

[Ayahs Mommy]

Albuterol simply relaxes the airways. The "rattle" you hear is an accumulation of secretion trapped in the airways. When the airway is relaxed, the secretion flows down into deeper branches and/or expectorated (coughed up). The rattle begins again due to the airways inflammatory state.