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’ve just been diagnosed with the condition, here are some facts you should know.
There are several typical symptoms of an asthma attack. These include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. This is a severe condition, and can be fatal if you don’t learn to manage it.
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. 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. However, it can be caused to tighten by certain irritants or external conditions, as mentioned earlier. 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. As well, a build up of mucus takes place, and at the same time the lining becomes inflamed and starts to swell. 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. 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. They will also try to pinpoint the cause of your attacks. When you’ve established the factors that trigger your attacks, it’s critical that you do your best to avoid them. You’ll need to work closely with your doctor and follow the prescribed asthma treatment if you want to prevent future attacks. Never ignore the symptoms, because an asthma attack can be life threatening.
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