Asthma Attack - An Acute Exacerbation Of Asthma Is Commonly Referred To As An Asthma Attack

During a severe asthma attack a series of things happen in the lungs and airways that all contribute to the symptoms of an asthma attack. The cells that line the airways create and excrete more mucus that they normally do. This normally creates an excess that clogs the airways and makes breathing more difficult. This mucus can also get settled in the lungs region creating breathing problems by filling the air pockets that would normally hold the air people breathe.

The muscles in the air passage get tighten. These respiratory muscles are wrapped around the airways and when they tighten they constrict the airways and cause them to narrow. This condition has a two-fold negative effect in an asthma attack. It actually lessens the amount of air that can travel in them and also hinders in the ability to cough up and out the excess mucus that is being produced in the airways. Both of these combined have the result in inhibiting the ability to inhale end exhale air comfortably.

Another thing that also happens is the respiratory airways themselves begin to swell. This gradual swelling takes place in the tissue lining the airways, closing off the inside of the airways. All the three systemic things combined cause and contribute to the symptoms of an acute asthma attack. Excess mucus in the system that fills the airways and lungs; swelling on the inside wall of the airways resulting in lesser volume of air capacity; tightening and considerable constricting of the muscles wrapped around the airways all bring on an asthma attack.

Asthma attacks in different cases may be severe, moderate or mild. The attacks can come on suddenly or take days in gradual developing. A severe type of asthma attack can be deadly. It can even cause the person to literally suffocate. In the severe type of asthma attack the person become so breathless that they may be unable to talk. The person suffering the asthma attack may feel their neck and chest muscles tightening. Due to the lack of enough oxygen in the blood, lips and fingernails may begin to turn bluish in color.

It is actually essential for the person suffering a severe asthma attack to get immediate help. Delaying respiratory treatment in any way can have catastrophic consequences. The first thing that must be done is to take the prescribed medication to help stop the attack and relieve the symptoms. People should contact emergency clinical services and handle it as such, a medical emergency. Time is of a great essence in the event of a severe asthma attack. A mild type of asthma attack has the same causes and the same symptoms; they are just not as extreme and are not deadly.

There should be a plan in place for the patient who suffers a mild asthma attack. If the patients are treated promptly with prescribed medication, while uncomfortable, they will pass. People should keep their medication available and ready to use at all time and never run out. Also one must replace the ongoing medications before they run out; a quick response is the key to stopping an asthma attack.

• Emma Bullock
• 23/03/2009, 12:59 AM
• 0 Comments