What is Asthma Attack

An asthma attack can be a daunting experience even for those with prior experience. Potential signs of an imminent attack can include shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing. These are potential tell-tale signs of what is asthma attack. These are also signs that you need to whip out the inhaler right away to relieve these symptoms.

Asthma attacks can occur anywhere, at any time, without any warning. It is therefore important for sufferers always carry or have their medications nearby.

Asthma attacks can generally be classified as either Mild or Severe.

A mild attack is usually more common than a severe one. In a mild attack, the symptoms usually goes away within a few minutes or within a few hours after receiving treatment.

On the other hand, severe asthma attacks last longer and immediate medical attention is needed. As a suffer or caregiver, you need to recognise the symptoms and treat mild symptoms of an asthma attack in order to prevent a severe attack from happening.

It is no doubt that we cannot 100% prevent asthma attacks from happening, we can however prepare ourselves to respond and react appropriately with guidance from our health care provider or family doctor. While we can provide immediate relieve to a suffer during an attack, it is important for us to note that our immediate onsite assistance has its limitations and emergency services must be called in if the suffer fails to respond satisfactory after treatment onsite.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airways of the lungs. It is very common worldwide with the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimating that there are currently 235 million asthma suffers in the world and it is one of the most common noncommunicable disease among children. Asthma affects people of all ages, and it often starts during childhood.

Most common characteristics of asthma is the recurrent bouts of breathlessness and wheezing, which varies in severity and frequency from person to person. These symptoms can occur many times throughout the day or week for the affected person. These symptoms sometimes get worst during physical activities or at night for some suffers.

Asthma Attack:  What Happens during an Attack?

During an asthma attack, there is an inflammation of the airways (bronchial tubes) and the lining of the airways swell, causing them to become narrow and clogged with thick mucus. This limits the amount of air passing through from the nose and mouth to the lungs, making breathing difficult. Thankfully, with proper diagnosis and preventive treatments, asthma has a relatively low fatality rate compared to other chronic diseases.

Comparison between a normal and an asthmatic airway

What Causes Asthma Attack?

Up til now, the root causes of asthma are not completely understood. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that genetics and a sensitive airway are potential culprits for the development of the asthmatic condition. That is to say, parents with asthmatic conditions are more likely to have children who are at higher risk of suffering from asthma.

The causes of an asthma attack or what is commonly known as the triggers, differs from person to person. It is important to identify the specific triggers and avoid them. Some common triggers include:

• Infections, including the common cold and flu
• Allergens such as dust mites, cockroaches, animal dander, pollen, indoor mould and mildew
• Animal fur
• Weather changes due to change in temperature or humidity
• Air pollution such as smoke from cigarettes, or even haze

Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotions such as anger or fear, stress, and physical exercise. It is also important to note that certain medications can trigger asthma. These medications include aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and beta-blockers (which are used to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions and migraine).

Signs and Symptoms of Asthma Attack

Changes to one’s physical condition can be an important early warning that an asthma attack is coming soon. It is important to be able to recognise these early signs in order to take preventative measures to stop an asthma attack or be prepared before it comes.

Symptoms of a potential asthma attack

Early warning signs of an asthma attack may include:

• Frequent cough, especially at night
• Shortness of breath or Difficulty in breathing
• Pain or tightness in the chest
• Feeling unusually tired or weak when exercising
• Wheezing or coughing during or after exercise
• Feeling tired, easily upset, grouchy, or moody
• Decreases or changes in lung function as measured one a peak flow meter
• Signs of a cold, flu or allergies (sneezing, runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, and headache)
• Trouble sleeping with nighttime asthma

It is important to understand that a mild asthma attack can escalate quickly into a severe one. It is therefore crucial that you recognise these symptoms and take the necessary medical action(s) before the attack worsens.

What To Do during an Asthma Attack

If you or a loved one is experiencing an asthma attack and the symptoms do not quickly improve after following the asthma action plan, follow the “red zone” or emergency instructions and contact your doctor or call your local emergency hot line right away Immediate medical attention is necessary at this point.