Time and again you would have heard the term asthma; you would also have come across people suffering from asthma. Asthma is a disease of lungs that makes breathing difficult. This condition is very common in children and teenagers. You might be eager to know that why only some people have difficulty breathing? What exactly happens inside that makes breathing so tough? To put in layman’s words – assume you’ve had a glass of juice or cool drink with a straw. Now think that the inner wall of your straw is becoming thicker and thicker, leaving only a narrow opening, making it hard for you to drink the rest of the beverage. Similarly, when you breathe, the air goes to and fro your lungs through an air passage or airway called as bronchial tubes. But if you have asthma, the bronchial tubes in your lungs swell up, blocking the airways and obstructing the flow of air, ultimately resulting in shortness of breath, wheezing, etc.
Asthma flare ups
When the symptoms of asthma become more severe and more frequent, then it is called as an asthma flare up. During asthma flare up or asthma attack, the condition of the bronchial tube worsens even more.
Asthma flare up is caused due to 3 important changes in the airways such as
- Excess sticky mucus production, which blocks or narrows the airways
- Bronchoconstriction during which the muscles around the walls of the airways also tightens further narrowing the airways
- Swelling of the airways
Asthma flare ups are serious conditions that can be life threatening and demands your immediate attention. You need to know about its symptoms, warning signs, and also how to react when you have a flare-up to keep your asthma under control.
Symptoms of asthma flare up
During a flare up episode you might experience the following symptoms
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain in the chest during breathing
- Tightness in the chest
- Whistling sound during breathing (wheezing)
- Cough
- Sweating and rapid heartbeats even while sitting quietly
- Unable to speak continuously without pausing
- Frequent retractions (sucking in the muscles near neck and chest during inhaling)
Reason for symptoms to flare up
People suffering from asthma are sensitive or allergic to certain things that doesn’t bother a normal person. Your asthma symptoms may manifest when exposed to certain triggers. Few common things that triggers asthma are
- Cold air
- Cold or dry weather
- Exercise
- Tobacco smoke
- Infections like cold, sinus, flu
- Animal dander (skin or fur of animals)
- Wood smoke/dust
- Perfume or chemical fumes
- Dust mites
- Mold
- Cockroaches
If you feel that you are having an asthma attack contact your doctor or take your medicines immediately because untreated asthma can result in flare ups and can last for several days or weeks.
Predicting the seriousness of a flare up
An asthma flare up may happen suddenly without any warning symptoms. The severity and the duration of a flare up vary from person to person. Exposure to any triggers or allergens can worsen your airways and trigger a flare up. Your doctor will help you keep a track of your asthma by using a peak-flow meter. This device predicts the severity of your flare-up by measuring the Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), which measures how fast you can blow air out of your lungs. To start with it, know your “personal best” peak flow, which is the highest value that you get over a period of 2 weeks without any asthma symptoms.
During mild flare ups you may feel breathless while doing some physical work or exercise but you feel good when you sit or rest. You can actually breathe well while talking; sometime when you breathe out you may hear a mild wheezing sound. During this your PEFR value will be 80-100% of your personal best value.
Moderate flare up makes it difficult for you to breathe during talking or walking but you feel good when you sit quietly. You may need immediate medicine to avoid worsening of symptoms. You may hear loud wheezing sound while you exhale. Your PEFR value will be 50-80% of your personal best.
Breathing will be very difficult even when you are sitting quietly if you are having a severe flare up. You may be able to talk only few words because of shortness of breath. Medicines do not help. Your Peak flow value will be below 50% of your personal best. These attacks may be life-threatening, therefore get medical help immediately.
Treatment
If you have asthma and have frequent flare ups, it’s best to talk to your doctor about what you should do immediately if you experience a sudden flare up. You can use your quick relief inhaler; consult your doctor about the amount of medicine you need to take. Use your peak flow meter to check the severity of the flare up after taking the medicine. If the PEFR value is below 50% indicating a serious flare up, call your doctor immediately or go to the nearest emergency room right away. You can ask your doctor to give a written “Asthma Action Plan” to treat mild, moderate, and severe asthma flare ups. If you experience a flare-up, inform those around you and provide them with the Action Plan and ask them to respond accordingly.
Preventing a flare up
It is possible to avoid exacerbating an asthma flare up by adhering to a few preventive measures including:
- Never forget to carry your inhaler and spacer with you
- Stay away from allergens or triggers that can start a flare-up
- Avoid being around smokers
- Take your medicines properly as prescribed, do not skip even if you are feeling better
- Follow your asthma action plan and share it with your family and friends
Conclusion
Hope this article would have enlightened you briefly about asthma flare ups and way to deal with it. Know your symptoms and take steps immediately before it becomes worse. During a flare up it is important that you stay calm and focused and follow your action plan. If you have any triggers that you suspect might have caused the flare-up remove it immediately. In order to effectively manage a flare up, it is essential to consult your doctor and have an action plan in place in order to respond quickly in the event of an emergency.
