Attack Of Asthma

Breathing difficulty, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and difficulty in performing normal daily activities are symptoms of an asthma attack.

Bronchospasm is a sudden worsening of the symptoms. The muscles around the airways tighten, the lining becomes swollen or inflamed and thicker mucus is also produced more than normal.

Some other asthma attacks symptoms include:

• Retractions
• The tightened of the neck and chest muscles
• Sweaty pale face
• Pressure or chest pain
• Talking difficulty
• Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
• Very rapid breathing
• Blue lips or fingernails
• Feelings of anxiety or panic
• Non-stop coughing with asthma
• Or worsening symptoms despite of  medications

Without having asthma attack some people with asthma may not be experiencing them for extended periods except during periodic symptoms interruption that triggers or during exercise-induced asthma that is overdone.

More common is the mild asthma attacks. After treatment, the airways will open up within a few minutes to a few hours usually. On the contrary, severe asthma attacks are less common but last longer and immediate medical attention is required. Importantly, to prevent severe episodes and keep asthma under control we should be able to recognize and treat even mild symptoms of an asthma attack.

Untreated Asthma Attack

Your breathing will become more labored with a louder wheezing without an immediate asthma medicine and treatment. Your personal best reading will probably be reduced if you use a peak flow meter during an attack.

You may not be able to use the peak flow meter if the tightening continues and gradually there will be not enough air movement to produce the wheezing. This is a dangerous signs and is sometimes called the ‘silent chest’. Immediately if this happens, make haste to the hospital. The signal is sometimes interpreted wrongly as a sign of improvement and mistaken this as the disappearance of wheezing. Due to this misinterpretation, prompt emergency care is not taken.

A condition known as cyanosis will persist if you do not receive adequate treatment from an asthma attack. The condition is when you develop a bluish coloring around the lips due to less oxygen in the blood and eventually you will be unable to speak. If asthma attacks left untreated without immediate aggressive treatment, it may lead to unconsciousness and eventually death.

Recognizing Asthma Attack Early Signs

These early sign are changes that happen prior to asthma attack. It happens before or at the very beginning before the well-known asthma symptoms and is a good indication that your asthma is getting bad but not severe enough to stop you from your daily chores.

The signs are like preventive measures to stop an attack or to prevent one from worsening. The warning signs are:

1. Shortness or losing of breath easily
2. Reduced peak flow meter readings
3. Signs of a cold or allergies (sneezing, runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat and headache)
4. Feeling very tired or weak when exercising
5. Cough frequently, especially at night
6. Feeling tired, easily upset, grouchy or moody
7. Decreases or changes in lung function as measured on a peak flow meter
8. Trouble sleeping with night time asthma
9. Wheezing or coughing after exercise or exercise-induced asthma

It is important to treat the symptoms immediately since the severity of asthma attack can escalate rapidly.

If I Have An Asthma Attack?

Follow the general rule! Seek immediate medical attention if the attack and the symptoms do not improve after following the asthma action plan and follow the ‘Red Zone’ or emergency instructions from the asthma doctor.

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