What’s an Asthma Attack All About?
Written by ama on September 10th, 2009 in Conditions, Health.
It seems like asthma is becoming ever more prevalent these days. No doubt you’ve heard about it. But unless you actually suffer from the problem, you might not know what actually transpires during an asthma attack. 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. Some of the most common triggers are allergens such as dust, pollution, pollen, cigarette smoke and perfume. In fact, allergies and asthma are very closely related. 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. There’s a muscle located outside the airway that controls when it opens and closes. 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.
When the muscle tightens, the airway narrows. It also gets clogged with mucus and the lining becomes swollen and inflamed. Normally, mucus in the airways is perfectly natural since it assists in the movement of air into the lungs. However, during an asthma attack, mucus production increases considerably, and it clogs the airway.
This sticky mucus makes it very difficult to breathe. As long as the excess mucus is in place, the asthma attack won’t stop. So it’s essential that you manage your symptoms quickly with a medication that has been prescribed by your doctor.
Attacks are often only a few minutes in duration. However, a severe attack can last for hours or even days. There will be intervals where you might not experience any symptoms, but they will soon return if you don’t receive the proper medication.
It’s important to check with your doctor right away if you think you have asthma. He or she will run some tests to diagnose the situation. As well, they’ll try to figure out what’s triggering the 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 treatments are essential. The attacks can be deadly, so don’t ignore your symptoms.
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October 18th, 2009 at 8:03 am
my sister is also suffering from Asthma and she is using Inhaled glucocorticoids to relieve the symptoms.