When you first get a diagnosis of asthma for yourself or your child, you may be wondering just what is asthma exactly? Or maybe you haven't been diagnosed yet and you're wondering if the symptoms you're having might be asthma.

You won't get a diagnosis here... the information on this site is just that, general information. We can't speak to your condition personally. But if you think the descriptions you find here might fit you, then it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or your child's doctor as soon as you can.

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your breathing. What happens is that your airways become inflamed and irritated in reaction to some kind of substance or situation (known as Triggers). Your airways are the tubes that carry air and oxygen into and out of your body.

What are the symptoms?

Identifying asthma symptoms is one of the first steps to taking control of asthma. When you know what symptoms to look for, then you'll be ready to take action to relieve or prevent them. That can help you to keep feeling well. Plus, when you know how to identify the asthma symptoms that herald the start of an asthma attack, you can act quickly to stop the attack in its tracks or keep it from getting worse.

Here are some of the most common asthma symptoms you should be on watch for.

1) Shortness of breath

You are said to be short of breath when your chest feels tight and you have the sensation that you can't catch your breath or get all the air you need. Some people feel panicky when they are short of breath.

2) Frequent Cough

All of us cough once in a while when we have a tickle or breathe in something irritating. It's our body's way of keeping our air passages clear. But, if you cough many times every day or find yourself waking up at night with a cough or a tickle that won't quit, it could be a symptom of asthma.

3) Wheezing

Wheezing is a whistling sound heard when a person with asthma breathes in or out. It happens when small passageways in your lungs called alveoli start to narrow from mucus and the other effects of asthma. It usually begins suddenly and is not constant. It may be worse at bedtime or first thing in the morning. It can also be worsened by breathing cold air or exercise.

4) Intercostal Retractions

Intercostal retractions is a medical term that is a fancy way of saying the inward movement of the muscles in the spaces between the ribs. This pulling in of the muscles occurs as a result of reduced pressure in the chest cavity. It is a sign that a person is having trouble breathing.

5) Chest Tightness

A feeling that the chest is tight can be quite frightening to a person who has asthma. It feels as though there is steel band or a weight that is keeping your lungs from fully expanding as your breathe in. It usually goes along with shortness of breath.

6) Pallor or Cyanosis

Pallor is a whitish color and cyanosis is a bluish color in the lips and face. Either one of these, especially if linked to severe shortness of breath, are danger signs of an asthma attack. You need to get help right away if you notice this symptom.

7) Anxiety

Anxiety, or a feeling of intense fear and uneasiness, can occur when you are having trouble breathing. If you are feeling anxious and also short of breath and / or have pallor or cyanosis, it is time to get emergency help.

What is an Asthma Attack?

An asthma attack is when your asthma symptoms become much worse all of a sudden. The muscles around your airways tighten even more than usual, going into what is known as brochospasm. The inner lining of the airways swells and is irritated. At the same time, your airways produce large amounts of mucus that make breathing even more difficult.

Symptoms: The airway tightening, swelling, and increase in mucus all combine to cause a number of symptoms. The symptoms of an asthma attack include:

• Severe wheezing, when breathing both in and out
• Coughing that won't seem to quit
• Severe chest tightness, pain, or pressure
• Feeling anxious or panicky
• Fast breathing and / or the feeling that you can't catch your breath
• Retractions, or tightening, or the muscles in between your ribs and in your chest
• Blue color, called cyanosis, in the lips and fingernails
• Pale, sweaty face

An asthma attack is a sign, however, that your condition is not under control. This is a cue that you need to talk with your doctor about your asthma management plan. Medication or lifestyle factors may need to be adjusted.

Actions to Take During an Asthma Attack: Mild asthma attacks are most common. Usually, taking your rescue (quick-relief) inhaler will help ease your symptoms, along with time. Usually within a few minutes—or at worse, a few hours—your airways will open up once again.

It is less common to have a moderate to severe attack, but when you do, it's crucial to get medical help right away. But, if you learn to recognize an asthma attack while it is still in the mild stages, you may be able to take action to prevent it from progressing to the severe stage.

 

Prevention: The best way to prevent an asthma attack is to avoid your triggers as much as possible.

It's also important to learn how to recognize what might be known as your "early warning signs" of an impending asthma attack. These are symptoms that happen just before an asthma attack begins. They tell you that your condition is about to worsen, or get out of control.

They might include things such as a frequent cough, especially during the nighttime hours, getting short of breath more easily, increased peak flow meter readings, feeling extra tired when you're active, a change in mood toward the negative, and trouble sleeping. You might also notice signs of a cold, such as nasal stuffiness, sore throat, sneezing, or runny nose.

 

A peak flow meter helps you check how well your asthma is controlled.

Use it every day, and keep track of the results to help your doctor learn about your asthma. This may also help you determine if your asthma is getting worse, even before you have symptoms.

If you notice any of these symptoms, take action quickly to prevent an asthma attack.

Asthma Action Plan: It is important for anyone who has asthma to have an Asthma Action Plan. This plan should be developed with the help of your doctor, and should have 3 components:

1. Stage of severity
2. A list of symptoms to watch for
3. Actions to take

Be sure you have an asthma action plan and that you follow it closely. If your child has asthma, then make sure any caregivers you use know about the plan and how to use it too. (Available at all providers' offices in Alexander County)

What triggers Asthma?

This overview of possible asthma triggers will help you figure out what might be setting off your asthma symptoms. Knowing what triggers your symptoms is the first step to preventing asthma attacks.

One way to identify your triggers is to keep an asthma diary. You can also use that form to track your symptoms and your response to your treatment. Once you know more about what is happening, you can talk to your doctor about the best way to manage your asthma.

1) Allergens

Allergens is the medical term for inhaled substances that cause an allergic reaction, such as pollen, dust, mold, animal dander, and cockroach allergens. Sometimes you need repeated exposure over a long period before you start to have asthma symptoms in response to an allergen.

2) Irritants

Irritants are substances that do not cause an allergic reaction, but that do irritate the airways, causing asthma symptoms. Examples of irritants are smoke, chemical fumes, perfume, strong odors from paint or cooking, and air pollution.

3) Other Triggers

This is a miscellaneous category of triggers, and can include a number of different substances or situations that may set off asthma symptoms. Other triggers include emotional stress, cold air, medicines such as aspirin or beta-blockers, sulfites in food or wine, and respiratory infections. In some people, even hard laughing or crying can trigger asthma symptoms.

Take the Asthma Control Test:  http://www.asthmacontrol.com/

References: http://asthma.about.com/index.htm (Asthma) author: Kathleen MacNaughton

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