The oxygen that we get from the air all the time is not less important for life than water and food. However, usually, we do not think about the procesns. Modern medicine provides the proper treatment and prevention measures, so people with asthma can live a normal lifs of breathing and do not try to control it. Only people with Asthma Attack understand how crucial it is. This lung disease leads to difficulties in breathing and life-threatening situatioe.
What is Asthma
This disease affects millions of people all over the world and causes changes in the airways. Under normal conditions, the bronchial system works to provide the air inside and outside the body freely. In the case of an asthma attack, this process is disturbed and the patients cannot get enough air and breathe normally.
How asthma affects the respiratory system
The whole respiratory system suffers from this condition as asthma causes an inflammatory response, increases the production of more dense mucus inside and leads to spasms in the muscles. At the same time, the body tries to bring the system back to normal but it is hard to achieve without special medicines.
What is an Asthma Attack
When there is a manifestation of the disease, three processes occur simultaneously:
- Bronchospasm. The muscles that construct the airways become tight and rigid. Due to this, airways narrow and prevent the air from moving freely through them.
- Inflammation starts in the airways making them swollen. This also disturbs their normal work.
- Production of the thick mucus that additionally clogs airways.
Due to these processes, breathing becomes difficult, wheezing sounds appear together with a cough and a feeling of tightness in the chest.
What Causes Asthma Attacks
Each case of asthma is special and has its own unique cause. One of the tasks of diagnostics is to determine why the person suffers from this disease. It can occur in both adults and children and the following causes are the most common.
Allergens
One of the most widespread situations is considering asthma an allergic response to some substance. This can be due to food and drinks, pollen, pets, medicines, etc. It is crucial to establish an allergen and avoid it as much as possible to prevent attacks.
Physical exertion
There are cases when the symptoms of this disease occur due to hard physical exercises. Usually, it is not the primary cause but people with asthma should be careful with exercising to avoid bad consequences.
Environmental factors
Highly polluted air, the presence of some irritating chemicals, fume and especially smoke often lead to the development of this disease. It is worth noticing that even people who do not smoke but are exposed to the so-called secondhand and thirdhand smoke are in danger. Thus, it is better to avoid places where people smoke, as well as use their personal belongings.
Emotional factors
Last but not least are emotions, especially in stressful situations. They often trigger attacks in case of persistent asthma. In this case, an attack becomes part of the body’s response to high adrenaline and cortisol levels due to stress.
Asthma Attack Symptoms
Symptoms of this disease are obvious but sometimes they may get confused with other respiratory problems. They also can occur together or in different combinations.
Coughing
The cough usually appears at night. It may of different levels of severity from slightly disturbing to really hard and painful.
Wheezing
Wheezing and other similar sounds are the signs of problems with air moving inside the respiratory system. This is one of the special symptoms that should not be neglected. Its presence is always associated with asthma.
Shortness of breath
The patient feels that he does not get enough air even while trying to breathe as hard as possible. This may cause panic and the worsening of the situation. That is why it is so important to learn to control the breathing.
Chest tightness
Another common feeling is pain, pressure or tightness in the chest. It often appears a bit later and may bother a patient for quite a long time.
How to Stop an Asthma Attack
The attacks of this disease may last from several minutes to hours and even days. Sometimes they disappear on their own, while in other cases emergency help is needed. In any case, one has to know exactly what to do and not panic.
Use Your Rescue Inhaler
The physician must choose the rescue inhaler for you and explain how to utilize it. It contains bronchodilating substances that are aimed at relieving the spasms of the respiratory system. If it contains corticosteroids, then the inflammation will also be ceased.
The average maximum dose is up to 10 puffs. One puff is done every minute or so. If the condition does not change or feels worse, one must immediately call the emergency.
Sit Up Straight
The proper pose for an asthma attack is sitting with a straight spine. This is the most comfortable position for the respiratory system that suffers from the attempts to breathe normally. Cushions may be used to help the patient to stay in this position.
Take Slow, Steady Breaths
The processes that occur during an attack make breathing quick and shallow. This does not improve the situation and leads only to panic. Therefore, it is important to try to control breathing and make it slow and deep as much as possible.
Asthma Action Plan
In addition, the patient should create a clear action plan together with the doctor. It must contain the following steps:
- Which medicines and in what dosage to use depending on the situation;
- General recommendation on the position and breathing techniques;
- Life-threatening symptoms and when to call the emergency.
All this information should be put simply and with clear instructions. Those who suffer from the disease should make copies for relatives and close friends, so they will be also able to help in case an attack happens unexpectedly.
Preventing Asthma Attacks
The proper treatment and action plan are crucial to living a normal life with asthma. Furthermore, there are ways to prevent the attacks as much as possible. For this, one requires diagnostics and an understanding of the main triggers that cause them. Then, it becomes easier to get control over this condition and live without troubles.
Allergen avoidance
As we have already mentioned numerous allergens occupy the first position as the possible cause of this disease. The doctors usually prescribe special tests to reveal allergies and identify those substances that cause the reaction in the body.
Ask your healthcare provider to do such tests and stay away from all the substances you are allergic to. It may be not an easy task but one of the most helpful in combating and preventing the attacks.
Exercise moderation
All hard workouts deliver a certain strain to the respiratory system. When it is prone to asthma, such overload can also become a trigger for the attacks. Therefore, stick to moderate training and give preference to more calm kinds of sport.
Stress management
At last, deliver stress-relieving practices into your daily life and try to avoid stressful situations as much as possible. As far as we can see, they also serve as a powerful trigger for attacks and make them worse and longer. Thus, try meditation and other similar techniques to make your everyday life more balanced and peaceful.
Medications for Asthma Attack
There are different types of medicines used for asthma treatment. They must be prescribed by the doctor according to the condition of the patient and the severity of the attacks. The most widespread medicines include the following types.
Inhaled corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are hormones with a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. In between the attacks they can be used as an additional therapy in the oral or an inhaled form to prevent the manifestation of the disease. They are not used in case of emergency.
Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs)
These medicines were designed to relieve the spasm of the muscles of the respiratory system. Their examples include Serevent (salmeterol), Foradil (formoterol) and Striverdi (olodaterol). There are also short-acting similar medicines. The preference should be made by the doctor according to the condition of the patient.
Leukotriene modifiers
Leukotrienes are the compounds that our bodies produce in case of allergic response and asthma attacks. They are responsible for the main symptoms that are observed such as cough, inflammation, extra mucus and spasm of macules. Such medicines as montelukast, zafirlukast and zileuton serve as antagonists for the leukotriene receptors. They take their place and do not allow these compounds to provide their effect on the body.
Living with Asthma
Millions of people all over the world, including adults and children, live with asthma and periodically suffer from attacks. Medical statistics claim that every 10 seconds somewhere a person experiences this condition.
- However, modern medicine gives us everything we need to prevent and treat this disease properly, avoiding life-threatening situations and fatal consequences. To live a normal life with this disease, it is important to do the following:
- Get proper diagnostics and find out what are the main triggers that cause the attacks;
- Get a prescription for the required medicines from your doctor. There should be a usual set for everyday life and prevention of the attacks and a more powerful one for emergencies and severe attacks;
- Create an action plan for the attacks together with your doctor and share it among your relatives and friends;
- Do not be scared or ashamed of this disease but make certain lifestyle changes to avoid severe attacks. Thus, you will need moderate exercising and less stress in your everyday life.
Altogether, asthma does not prevent anyone from leading a happy life but it requires attention and timely treatment.
Summary
We should keep in mind the threats of asthma and clearly understand how to prevent and treat the attacks. The individual asthma action plan is a must-have for those who suffer from the disease, as well as for their relatives and close friends. The main thing with this disease is not to panic but follow this plan and seek medical aid whenever it is required.
FAQ
What is an asthma action plan?
This is the clear sequence of actions that one should do during the attack. It includes the medicines that must be used and the signs that it is time to call the emergency.
What does an asthma attack feel like?
The person starts to experience difficulties in breathing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. It feels, as if one cannot breathe freely and is somehow similar to drowning.
What to do for asthma attack without inhale?
One must sit upright and try to control the breathing making it slow and deep as much as possible. If there is a trigger nearby, it is crucial to get out of it. To stay calm, one must seek medical aid if the condition is not improving.
What happens during an asthma attack?
The air cannot come and go freely due to bronchospasm, inflammation that makes the airway swollen and the production of tight mucus that clogs them.
How long does an asthma attack last?
Depending on the severity and overall condition of the patient, it may take from several minutes to hours and even days.
Can you die from an asthma attack?
A severe attack can be fatal if there was no action plan, medicines at hand or in-time medical care.