What Is an Asthma Attack?
An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of asthma symptoms caused by the tightening of muscles around your airways (bronchospasm). During the attack, the lining of the airways becomes swollen or inflamed and more and thicker mucus than normal is produced. All of these factors -- bronchospasm, inflammation, and mucus production -- cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and difficulty performing normal daily activities. Other symptoms of an asthma attack include:
- Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
- Coughing that won't stop
- Very rapid breathing
- Chest pain or pressure
- Tightened neck and chest muscles, called retractions
- Difficulty talking
- Feelings of anxiety or panic
- Pale, sweaty face
- Blue lips or fingernails
- Or worsening symptoms despite use of your medications
Some people with asthma may go for extended periods without having any symptoms, interrupted by periodic worsening of their symptoms, due to exposure to asthma triggers or perhaps from over doing it during exercise.
Mild asthma attacks are generally more common. Usually, the airways open up within a few minutes to a few hours after treatment. Severe attacks are less common but last longer and require immediate medical help. It is important to recognize and treat even mild symptoms to help you prevent severe episodes and keep asthma under control.
What Happens If an Asthma Attack Goes Untreated?
Without immediate treatment, your breathing will become more labored, and wheezing may get louder. If you use a peak flow meter at this time, your personal best reading will probably be reduced.
As your lungs continue to tighten, you will be unable to use the peak flow meter at all. Gradually, your lungs will tighten so much that there is not enough air movement to produce wheezing. This is sometimes called the "silent chest," and it is a dangerous sign. You need to be transported to a hospital immediately. Unfortunately, some people interpret the disappearance of wheezing as a sign of improvement and fail to get prompt emergency care.
If you do not receive adequate treatment, you will eventually be unable to speak and will develop a bluish coloring around your lips. This color change, known as "cyanosis," means you have less and less oxygen in your blood. Without immediate aggressive treatment in an intensive care unit, you will lose consciousness and eventually die.
How Do I Recognize the Early Signs of An Attack?
Early warning signs are changes that happen just before or at the very beginning of an asthma attack. These changes start before the well-known symptoms of asthma and are the earliest signs that your asthma is worsening.
In general, these signs are not severe enough to stop you from going about your daily activities. But by recognizing these signs, you can stop an asthma attack or prevent one from getting worse.
Early warning signs include:
- Frequent cough, especially at night
- Reduced peak flow meter readings
- Losing your breath easily or shortness of breath
- Feeling very tired or weak when exercising
- Wheezing or coughing after exercise
- Feeling tired, easily upset, grouchy or moody
- Decreases or changes in lung function as measured on a peak flow meter
- Signs of a cold, or allergies (sneezing, runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat and headache)
- Trouble sleeping
The severity of an asthma attack can escalate rapidly, so it's important to treat these symptoms immediately once you recognize them.
What Do I Do If I Have An Asthma Attack?
If you are experiencing an asthma attack and your symptoms do not improve after following your asthma action plan contact your doctor and follow the "Red Zone" or emergency instructions immediately. You need medical attention right away.
