What you need to know about an asthma attack?
During an asthma attack, also called an asthma exacerbation, the airways become swollen and inflamed.
The muscles around the airways contract and the airways produce extra mucus, causing the breathing (bronchial) tubes to narrow.
Symptoms of a minor asthma attack get better with prompt home treatment. A severe asthma attack that doesn't improve with home treatment can become a life-threatening emergency.
The key to stopping an asthma attack is recognizing and treating an asthma flare-up early. Follow the treatment plan you worked out with your doctor ahead of time. Your treatment plan should include what to do when your asthma starts getting worse, and how to deal with an asthma attack in progress.
Asthma attack signs and symptoms include:
- Severe shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, and coughing or wheezing
- Low peak expiratory flow (PEF) readings, if you use a peak flow meter
- Symptoms that fail to respond to use of a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler
Signs and symptoms of an asthma attack vary from person to person.
Seek medical attention right away if you have signs or symptoms of a serious asthma attack, which include:
- Severe breathlessness or wheezing, especially at night or in the early morning
- The inability to speak more than short phrases due to shortness of breath
- Having to strain your chest muscles to breathe
- Low peak flow readings when you use a peak flow meter
- No improvement after using a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler
Complications
Asthma attacks can be serious. They can:
- Interrupt everyday activities such as sleep, school, work and exercise, causing a significant impact on your quality of life — and can disrupt the lives of those around you.
- Send you to the emergency room, which can be stressful and costly.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-
20354268
