Relief From an Asthma Attack

Asthma attacks are one of the most frequent causes of emergency room visits, particularly for children, in the United States. Symptoms like coughing that won't stop, wheezing as air moves in and out of the lungs, chest pain, fast breathing, blue fingernails and blue lips are all signs of a severe attack. A severe asthma attack can cause death if left untreated. Knowing what to do to treat an attack and when to go to the hospital for treatment is key to asthma management.

Prevention

• Recognizing several signs can help patients and their families identify impending attacks. In general, the earlier treatment begins for an attack, the sooner the attack will abate.
  If you see increased coughing at night, even without other symptoms, it may be a sign that an attack is coming. Mucous that builds up in the airways is a sign of an impending attack, and coughing is how the body tries to clear those passages.
  Reduced readings when you use a peak flow meter is a sign of an impending attack. This meter measures how open your airways are.
  Shortness of breath, fatigue and symptoms of allergy like red eyes or runny nose are also signs of impending attack.
  These symptoms indicate that a patient should take immediate action. They should be considered the beginning of an attack.
  Use of an inhaler, reducing activity significantly, withdrawing from any obvious allergens are all prudent steps in the early stages of an asthma attack.
  A fast, calm, effective response to an asthma attack can usually prevent it from becoming a full attack.

Treatment

• Once the symptoms of an attack begin in earnest, a patient should use or inhaler or take any doctor prescribed drugs. The patient should withdraw from any allergens into a location with filtered air if possible and sit or lie comfortably to relax.
  Lying on the side may work better than than lying on the back. The patient should use a peak flow meter to monitor whether her condition is improving or deteriorating. If symptoms worsen, he should make arrangements for transport to the hospital.

Caution

• People who do not live with asthma often underestimate its severity. They do not know that people can die from an attack, and that prompt treatment is required to prevent a severe attack from causing great damage. This means people may not be as helpful as they could be.
  If you are in a place where medical help is hard to get, like a large concert or stadium football game, and symptoms of an attack start, figure out how to get professional medical help immediately. A delay could be fatal.