About Symptoms of an Asthma Attack

Asthma can occur under a few different circumstances. That's why asthma has been grouped into five different types: allergy asthma, exercise asthma, cough asthma, occupational asthma and nighttime asthma. Allergy asthma occurs when an individual is already suffering from allergies. This makes him more susceptible to asthma, because his airway has already been bombarded with allergens. Exercise asthma occurs only when a person has been exercising. She might also be engaging in some type of physical activity, such as moving boxes. Cough asthma is when an individual gets a cough that doesn't seem to go away, but isn't present all day long. The individual may cough when laughing or playing. Occupational asthma isn't as common, and occurs only when a person is at work. Something on the job site is triggering the asthma symptoms. If the sufferer stays away from the location, his symptoms will cease. Finally, nighttime asthma occurs when a person is in bed at night. This is the most dangerous type of asthma, and treatment should be sought right away.

The typical symptoms of asthma are the wheezing sounds that can be heard when a person is breathing. If you put your ear on the sufferer's chest, you will be able to hear the wheeze in her lungs. You can also expect an asthma patient to display some type of trouble breathing. He may feel short of breath or have trouble catching his breath. This is the symptom that causes the most concern. It should be treated right away. If you suffer from asthma, you can also expect to experience bouts of coughing. The coughing occurs during physical activity or exertion, such as laughing, carrying boxes or playing basketball. Finally, you may feel as if your chest is tightening up. It might not be painful, but it will definitely be uncomfortable.

Asthma is a tricky condition. Some of its symptoms are unusual because no two people experience the same ones. First, you may notice that you are breathing at a faster pace than normal. This is because your airway is affected when you have asthma. Second, you can feel fatigued, with less energy to perform your normal, everyday tasks. Third, you may find that you can't get comfortable at night. You have trouble falling asleep and staying that way. This is more common for anyone who sleeps lying flat. Those who sleep sitting up won't have as much of a problem. Fourth, if you find that you are sighing a lot, and maybe for no reason, you could have asthma.

The only solution to asthma is to get treatment and stay on top of it. Medications are generally taken only when an attack is coming on. There is one exception, which is using a nebulizer. A nebulizer takes steroid medication and turns it from a liquid to a steam you can breathe in. This is used to clear up any wheezing that is heard in the chest. Your doctor will also prescribe an inhaler for you to use when you have an attack. Some inhalers are used for mild attacks that don't occur often. Others are used for more serious attacks that occur more frequently. These inhaler treatments last for 12 hours each time. Your doctor might prescribe prednisone, which works quite well. The only problem is that you can't take it longer than 2 weeks at a time. Keep in touch with your doctor or specialist in case any new treatments become available.

Consider gathering information on what to do in an emergency. Make sure you know when it it time to call for an ambulance. Your doctor or specialist can give you a checklist to follow. If you are around someone else who is having an asthma attack, call for help if you see that the sufferer isn't getting any air in or out, if her lips or any part of her face is beginning to turn blue, or the emergency medication you administered to her isn't working. Realize that a person can die from an asthma attack if she doesn't get help in time.