Asthma is a disease that causes the airways that lead into your lungs to become narrow and produce mucus. When this happens, it may become hard to breathe.
Some people have a hard time breathing only at certain times. This may be during allergy season, when they get a cold, or when they exercise. Others have breathing problems a lot of the time.
When asthma symptoms suddenly get worse (or flare up), the airways tighten and become narrower. This makes it hard to breathe, and you may wheeze or cough. These flare-ups are also called asthma attacks.
Treatment can help you feel and breathe better and help keep your lungs healthy.

Signs

• Breathing faster than normal or trouble breathing
• Wheezing, making a loud or soft whistling noise when you breathe, or noisy breathing
• Coughing that may be worse at night or early in the morning
• Feeling tight in the chest
• Having a faster than normal heartbeat
• Having head congestion
• Having an itchy, scratchy, or sore throat
• Being tired or getting tired quickly during exercise
• If your doctor ordered a peak flow meter and your meter shows a drop in peak flow meter readings

You may have more signs of asthma if you:

• Have allergies
• Have a family member with asthma
• Are sensitive to air pollution
• Are exposed to smoke
• Have stress

Symptoms may start soon after you are around things (triggers) that cause your asthma attacks. This is an early phase response. Or they may start several hours after exposure (late phase response). A late phase response can make it harder to figure out what triggers your symptoms.
Symptoms can be mild or severe. You may have symptoms daily or now and then. Or you may have something in between.
Some people have symptoms that get worse at night, such as a cough and shortness of breath.

Your Care

Your care may include:

• Taking different medicines to:
  • Open airways
  • Decrease your body’s response to allergens
  • Decrease the swelling of your airways
  • Decrease congestion
• Finding out what causes your symptoms.
• Allergy testing.
• Using a peak flow meter to check and prevent asthma attacks.
• Drinking a large glass of liquid every 1 to 2 hours. This helps keep your mucus thin. Thin mucus is easier for you to cough up and decreases the swelling in your lungs. Clear liquids are best, such as water, fruit juice, tea, broth, and clear soups.
• Avoiding milk products when wheezing because they can thicken your mucus.

To Prevent Asthma Attacks

There’s no certain way to prevent asthma. But you can reduce your risk of asthma attacks by avoiding things that cause them, called triggers.
The goal is to reduce how many attacks you have, how long they last, and how bad they get.
Start by avoiding your asthma triggers. For example:

• Keep asthma medicine with you at all times. Take your scheduled medicines even if your symptoms go away.
• Don’t smoke and avoid being around others when they smoke.
• Stay away from foods, medicines, or things that cause you to have signs of asthma.
• Stay inside when air pollution, pollen, or dust levels are high.
• Avoid contact with people who have a cold or flu.
• Rest and drink plenty of liquids at the first sign of a cold.
• Breathe through a scarf or other covering in cold weather.
• Talk to your doctor about an exercise to strengthen your lungs.
• Reduce stress.

Also, be sure to:

• Ask your doctor about getting the flu and pneumococcal vaccines. Illnesses like colds, flu, or pneumonia can make symptoms worse.
• Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or similar medicines if they make symptoms worse.

Follow-up Care

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Make and go to all appointments and call your doctor if you have problems. Knowing your test results and keeping a list of the medicines you take is also a good idea.
Call your doctor right away if you:

• Have a cough, are wheezing or are having trouble breathing.
• Feel you need to take more medicine than your doctor has ordered.
• Have a temperature over 100.5 degrees F or 38 degrees C.
• Have mucus that is not white or clear, or mucus that is too thick to cough up.
• Have problems caused by your medicine such as shakiness, confusion, nervousness, upset stomach, or a bad taste.
• Are not able to do your normal activities or exercise.

Call 911 right away if you have:

• Severe wheezing, trouble breathing, or coughing.
• Chest pain.
• Lips or fingernails that are gray or blue.

Conclusion:

Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions or concerns.

Reference:

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Disclaimer:

This report provides general health information, not professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult a healthcare professional for any questions regarding your medical condition.