Asthma Attack Comes, Here’s What To Do

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Asthma is still a potentially deadly disease if it cannot be treated properly. Chronic illness in the respiratory tract which is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways causing shortness or difficulty breathing.

Reported by Insider, Monday (6/29/2020) Troy Madsen, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Utah said that people with asthma, may already have most of the symptoms of an asthma attack, only in a lighter form.

Some of the most common symptoms of an asthma attack include very short breathing, wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest. While the cause of an asthma attack usually occurs when the bronchial tubes or airways become inflamed or blocked. The muscles around this tube shrink and constrict, making breathing difficult.

But a common cause of asthma attacks is triggered by allergies, such as fungus, pets, or dust mites. Then air irritants, such as smoke, perfume, or chemical odors. Then diseases such as colds or respiratory infections, and exercise or activities too hard.

“It’s very difficult to distinguish asthma attacks from allergic reactions,” Madsen said.

In some cases, for asthmatics, having an allergic reaction can actually trigger the asthma attack. This can happen if the patient inhales allergens in the air such as pollen or dust.

People who suffer from anxiety attacks may also experience shortness of breath and tightness in their chest, but there are differences in symptoms with asthma. Wheezing is a sign of an asthma attack that might not appear in other conditions, Madsen said.

To treat asthma, first aid should be done by giving an inhaler filled with albuterol, a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles in the airways. But if one of them is not available and is still having difficulty breathing, you should immediately be taken to the hospital.

“If you suffer from severe asthma, you may need to carry an inhaler at all times so that you are ready for an asthma attack. People usually carry their inhalers in bags, backpacks, or pockets, “Madsen said.
Inhalers generally contain albuterol, a drug that helps open the airway of asthmatics. Inhaling Albuterol must quickly relieve symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath.

If you still experience asthma symptoms after inhaling the inhaler, the patient can take albuterol once more after 20 minutes. But if you still feel extreme shortness of breath after the second treatment, asthma sufferers should go to the doctor to get more treatment.

For young children who have difficulty using inhalers, said Madsen can use albuterol and nebulizer, a machine that uses a plastic tube with a funnel to deliver medicine in the form of smoke.

When an asthma attack comes, make sure the patient away from triggers of asthma such as pollen or smoke. Then sit up straight and avoid lying down so the airways remain fully open. Try slowing your breath so that you can breathe in two counts and exhale two counts. Taking more than 30 breaths per minute is considered to breathe fast and can worsen asthma symptoms.

“Try breathing through the nose and out through the mouth to stop yourself from hyperventilation. Slow breathing can also help stop you from panic, which is important, because panic can trigger hyperventilation and worsen your condition, “said Madsen.