Asthma Answers

If you’ve ever had an asthma attack, you know how scary they can be. I’ve had more than my share and some very serious ones that required me to go to the hospital. Now, that I understand what an asthma attack is and how to control my asthma, I’m a lot less scared by it.

What Is An Asthma Attack?

The simple answer is that it’s a chronic condition that involves a person’s respiratory system. Their airways become constricted, become inflamed and are filled with excess amounts of mucus. It’s the body’s response to one or more triggers.

Of course anyone that has ever had an asthma attack, knows that there’s nothing simple about it. Triggers very from person to person. The most common is allergies. This could be from pet dander, pollen, dust mites, mold or anything else that they breath in that would irritate their airway. Another common cause is exercise like running or cycling. After even a light workout, a person can feel an asthma attack coming. Smoke and air pollution also trigger asthma attacks in people too. Even the weather can be a cause – cold, warm or even moist air can trigger a problem. There’s even proof that emotional stress and things like crying can bring on an attack. In children, viral illnesses like the common cold are a major trigger.

Like the triggers, the symptoms of an asthma attack can vary, but there are four main things that you’ll notice most often. The most common ones that people think of is the wheezing and the shortness of breath. Another is severe coughing, especially during the night. The fourth is a feeling of tightness or even pain in the chest.

Mild asthma attacks may go away by themselves after a short period or with the help of prescribed medicine. More severe asthma attacks can require a trip to the doctor or even to the hospital.

The best way to prevent an asthma attack is treat it before it becomes an outbreak. There’s many warning signs of an upcoming attack. They include symptoms easily associated with asthma like coughing or starting to lose you breath easily. However, there’s many more that could warn you of an attack - a weak or tired feeling when exercising, feeling tired or grouchy, trouble sleeping or even symptoms associated with allergies or colds.

An untreated asthma attack can lead to Status Asthmaticus, which is the technical name for a severe asthma attack. It’s an acute asthma attack that doesn’t respond to medicine like rescue inhalers.

Signs of a severe asthma attack are a shortness of breath, unable to speak complete sentences, chest feeling closed and lips or finger tips that have a bluish tint. A person suffering from a severe asthma attack may not even wheeze or cough so therefore wheezing can’t always be a guide to the severity of an attack.

A person suffering from a severe asthma attack should visit a doctor or emergency room immediately. Asthma attacks can be fatal if not treated properly.