Asthma Symptoms and Treatment

What Is An Asthma Attack?

The bronchial tube is the airway that passes air to your lungs.  When the muscles surrounding your bronchial tubes become tense and constrict, it becomes more narrow and abnormally thick mucus is created.  This often makes breathing very difficult.   When this happens to people with asthma, it is known as an asthma attack.

Asthma attack symptoms typically appear in one or more of the following ways:  

• Increased wheezing when inhaling and exhaling
• Constant coughing
• High breathing rate
• Tightness in the chest
• Retraction – tensed chest and neck muscles
• Difficulty when talking
• Panic or a feeling of anxiety
• A pale and sweaty face
• Blue fingernails and/or lips
• In severe cases, symptoms worsen even when relief medication is administered

Mild or less severe asthma attacks are more common than severe attacks and many patients can go for long periods without experiencing an attack or any symptoms that cause concern.

In mild asthma attacks, the patient experiences some relief within a short time since the airways usually open up just a few minutes or a few hours after treatment.  Mild attacks are usually not a cause for great concern.  Your asthma doctor can prescribe appropriate medication such as a quick-acting inhaler to take during an attack to help you recover from the symptoms quickly.

Severe asthma attacks on the other hand are less common and more dangerous. They last longer and symptoms may be much more severe.  These types of asthma attacks require immediate medical intervention which may include a visit to the nearest emergency room.

More info on asthma attacks from the Mayo Clinic’s website here.

Asthma triggers

What causes asthma attacks to occur?

Asthma attacks usually occur when the patient has been exposed to certain allergens or triggers that cause the airways to swell and produce abnormally thick mucus. Some of the agents and factors that have been known to trigger asthma attacks include:

• Respiratory infections or viruses such as the common cold, the flu, sinus infections or pneumonia. More on respiratory infections on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website. 
• Exposure to airborne pollutants and allergens such as
  • Pollen
  • Dust mites
  • Smoke from wildfires, charcoal fires
  • Mold
  • Cigarette smoke
  • Animal dander
  • Air pollution (smog & ozone)
  • Strong fumes such as gasoline, paint, even perfumes

• Strenuous exercise can trigger an asthma attack particularly when the weather is cold and dry
• Sensitivity to certain medicines have been known to trigger asthma attacks
• Other triggers that have been known to cause attacks:
  • Certain food additives such as sulfites
  • Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle
  • Weather – cold and dry weather have been known to trigger attacks

Is Asthma Curable?

Although asthma is a disease that can be significantly controlled, it has no known cure. The disease never goes away completely even with medication. This could probably be because there are different variants of the condition and no single cure can suit them all effectively.

The treatments available today give most asthma patients enough resources to manage the condition to a point where they can go about their daily lives with little to no worry.

What type of doctor treats asthma?

This is a good question, many people start with their family doctor.  Family doctors are often internists who are skilled in making initial diagnoses and, where appropriate, refer their patients to specialists better trained in treating specific diseases.

Allergists are trained to treat allergies and asthma.  Many asthma cases are allergic asthma meaning that the patient suffers from asthma due to an allergic reaction.  Physicians who specialize in treating patients with allergies, also called Allergists, are best suited to diagnose asthma triggers and create an asthma management plan specifically for each patient’s unique needs.

Monitoring Air Flow

Asthma symptoms restrict the amount of air passed through the bronchi, or the airway, your doctor may instruct you to measure and track the rate of airflow you can expel, or breathe out, from your lungs.

Understanding this rate of airflow, also called the Peak Expiratory Flow Rate, over time can provide valuable information for managing asthma and can be an important part of your asthma action plan.

Peak Expiratory Flow Rate is measured with a device called the Peak Flow Meter.   An asthma patient blows into this device and the peak expiratory flow rate is measured.

Using a peak flow meter, your physician will help you measure your personal best peak expiratory flow.  That number can be used as a baseline number in an asthma management plan to help you have a better understanding of your disease.

Peak flow meters come in many styles from many manufacturers. A patient’s technique measuring air flow may differ which can lead to a high degree of variability in results.   For these reasons, many asthma patients may not benefit from the use of a peak flow meter.  The components of your personal asthma action plan and whether a peak flow meter is included will be up to your doctor to determine.

Here’s an informative video on the usage of a peak flow meter.