Asthma Attack

Asthma Symptoms

The airways OR bronchi of asthma patients are hypersensitive and react to its triggers very fast. Asthma episode starts immediately when inflamed airways of respiration system react to certain environmental stimuli such as pollen, dust, smoke or other allergens. This causes airways to constrict, producing excessive mucus which makes it extremely difficult for patient to breathe properly.

The most characteristic symptoms of asthma are shortness in breathing and chest pain after little physical activity or during exposure to allergens. In many patients asthma also causes severe respiratory impairment. Other common symptoms of asthma episodes are wheezing, excessive expiration lasting longer, increased heart beat, very fast breathing, over inflation in chest and constriction of respiratory duct.

Asthma symptoms are at peak during asthma attacks but even between such episodes asthma patients may suffer with mild to severe symptoms. Depending on the trigger and nature of asthma patient may experience different symptoms like wheezing, coughing and expiration.

Audible wheezing during exhaling or breathing is noticed in children suffering with asthma. Asthma children also suffer with frequent coughing spasms.

Due to lack of oxygen asthma patients turn blue during severe asthma attacks, which also cause severe chest pain, numbness in limbs, icy cold feet and patient may go unconscious. Such severe asthma attacks are life threatening and could lead to permanent respiratory arrest resulting in death of patient.

In some asthma patients, neck muscles gets tighten and even talking causes pain in muscles. Excessive sweating is also reported by many asthma patients along with expiration after little physical activity.

Doctors diagnose asthma based on detailed examination and analysis of patients’ clinical history and tests. Peak flow meter, lung function tests and capnopraphy are reliable methods of doctors to diagnose asthma. Children who cannot take these tests are diagnosed with careful analysis of their medical history and bronchodilator medications.