Signs of an Asthma Attack - How to Avoid an Asthma Emergency

How to Avoid an Asthma Emergency:

Asthma is an incurable illness and asthma attacks hardly happen without warning. Knowing the signs of a pending attack could help you prevent an asthma emergency. In fact, acting quickly could save your life.

Asthma Early Warning Signs:

• A lack of appetite, headache, fatigue, or coughing typically comes before an asthma attack.
• Feeling tired and trouble sleeping are other distinctive signs.
• Dark circles below your eyes and less tolerance for workout.

A Persistent Cough:

Signs of an asthmatic attack can alter from one attack to the next. Sometime, there may be slightly or no coughing before an attack. At the next time, there may be a persistent cough, mostly at night.

As asthma cough is commonly dry and hacking. If a chronic or persistent cough does not disappear after cold symptoms are disappeared could point to asthma.

If persistent cough turns out to be an asthma attack then you should avoid taking cough medication. Cough medicines won’t relief the asthma.

Measurable Changes in Breathing:

A peak flow meter can alert you to a pending attack. Be sure you always know your baseline or standard measurement that reflects your best breathing.

• If your peak flow meter displays numbers between 50% and 80% of your personal best, an asthma attack has probably started.
• A number below 50% means an emergency that needs immediate attention.
• Call the ambulance, or call your asthma doctor, if you have trouble talking due to shortness of breath, of if your lips are blue or gray.

Follow Your Asthma Action Plan:

• An action plan tells you how to deal with symptoms of an asthma attack.
• Based on peak flow measures, an action plan shows you that what medicines to take and when. It is essential to follow the plan and use the medications exactly as prescribed.
• If the symptoms still get worse after following the plan, call your doctor. Also, follow the emergency instructions of the action plan.

Breathing Difficulties:

During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten, and also the airway linings swell.

• Too much mucus secretion is produced within the airways and may block the air tubes in the lungs.
• Air is stuck in the lungs and breathing becomes difficult.

You might notice symptoms of wheezing initially. But as attacks get worse there is shortness of breath and more chest tightness. Ultimately, you might feel like you cannot get sufficient air.

Posture Changes:

The effort to breathe may make somebody with severe breathing difficulties lean forward, speak in words rather that of sentences, and become noticeably agitated.

As the severity increases, an asthma victim may gradually move into a hunched-over sitting position with their hands on their knees supporting their upper body part. This is called the tripod position.

Chest and Neck Retractions:

When it's hard to breathe, the tissue within the neck and chest may sink in with every breath. This is called retraction. Retractions mean that not enough air is moving into the lungs, and are signs of a medical emergency. Immediately call the ambulance, or see a doctor right away.

In children other symptoms of deterioration in breathing are:

• Poor appetite
• Fatigue
• Decreased activity

Blue Lips or Finger-nails:

Blue or gray lips or fingernails are a sign of not enough oxygen in the blood. This condition is called cyanosis. Cyanosis is an emergency situation. Call the ambulance, as soon as possible.

Other Signs of Asthma Emergencies:

If you notice any of the following symptoms, get emergency help as soon as possible:

• Difficulty talking
• Inability to exhale or inhale
• Shortness of breath
• Feelings of anxiety or panic
• Coughing that won't stop
• Pale, sweaty face