Asthma – what to do when we are short of breath? 3rd November 2024 – Tags: Asthma
At the moment, asthma makes life difficult for some 262 million people worldwide. In addition, it has already contributed to around 455 000 deaths. Asthma affects everyone, both adults and children. However, it is the most common chronic disease in children. Medicine has advanced over the years to such an extent that it is a condition we can live with on a daily basis. Many medications are available to treat asthma. Today, we will take a closer look at what this disease is, what its symptoms are and what an asthma attack looks like.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a condition in which the airways become inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult to breathe. It is also known as bronchial asthma. It is a chronic disease, which means that unfortunately it does not go away and requires ongoing treatment. Due to the inflammation of the airways, the patient may develop coughing, wheezing and general difficulty breathing. Symptoms can be both mild and severe and can appear and disappear at different times
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Symptoms vary for each person. Severe symptoms can change over time, which we call an asthma attack. In addition, symptoms worsen at night and during physical activity. For some people, symptoms may worsen with a cold or changes in the weather. In addition, symptoms may be exacerbated by certain factors such as dust, smoke, fumes, pollen, animal dander and feathers.
The most common symptoms are:
– Persistent cough, especially occurring at night
– Wheezing when inhaling and sometimes when exhaling
– Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, sometimes even at rest
– tightness in the chest that makes it difficult to breathe in deeply
What is an asthma attack?
An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of the symptoms of the disease in question. In addition, it is characterised by the fact that often an emergency inhaler does not help the condition. Patients also notice that they become short of breath, have difficulty speaking or experience rapid accelerated breathing. Frequent asthma attacks may indicate that the disease is not currently being properly treated.
What should you do if you have an asthma attack?
– Sit up straight and try to calm down
– Take a dose from your rescue inhaler
– Call the emergency services when you feel worse or do not feel better
– Never be afraid to call for help in an emergency
– If your symptoms subside and you don’t need to call the emergency number, make an urgent appointment the same day to see your GP – this advice is not for patients on maintenance and emergency or regular and emergency therapy.