Understanding Asthma Attacks

July 27th, 2009 by author

It seems like asthma is becoming ever more prevalent these days. You’ve almost certainly heard of it. But if you’ve never experienced an asthma attack, you probably don’t know what goes on during one. If you suspect you have asthma, or just want to know more about it, here’s some important information.

Symptoms of an asthma attack include shortness of breath, coughing and a wheezing or whistling sound in your chest. It’s a serious situation, and can lead to death if untreated.

What causes an asthma attack? It can vary depending on the individual. Well known triggers include allergic substances like pollen, dust, environmental pollution, chemicals and smoke. Indeed, allergies and asthma often go hand in hand. There are also other factors that can set off an asthma attack, including exercise, cold air, pressure changes, and viral infections.

The site of an asthma attack is the airways leading to the lungs. The opening and closing of your airways are controlled by a specific muscle. You don’t have any control over this muscle; it’s totally automatic. But allergens or the other factors that were pointed out above can cause it to constrict. When you have an asthma condition, the muscle reacts disproportionately to the the triggers, thereby causing an attack.

If the muscle tightens up, the air passage becomes constricted. It also gets clogged with mucus and the lining becomes swollen and inflamed. The presence of mucus in the air passages is completely normal, because it helps the flow of air from the lungs. But when you’re experiencing an asthma attack, the production of mucus increases, thereby filling the air passages.

This sticky mucus makes it very difficult to breathe. As long as the excess mucus is in place, the asthma attack won’t stop. That’s why it’s so important to treat your symptoms immediately with a prescribed medication.

Attacks are often only a few minutes in duration. However, a severe attack can last for hours or even days. You might experience a period of time without symptoms, but without proper treatment they’ll be back.

If you suspect you might have asthma, it’s essential that you visit your doctor immediately. Tests will be run in order to make an accurate diagnosis. They will also try to pinpoint the cause of your attacks. Once you know what your triggers are, it’s essential that you avoid them as much as possible. In order to avoid asthma attacks in the future, close medical supervision and a strong commitment to using the proper asthma treatment are essential. Never ignore the symptoms, because an asthma attack can be life threatening.