How To Respond To An Asthma Emergency

If you’ve received an asthma diagnosis, it’s essential to be prepared for an emergency, even if you feel that your symptoms are currently under control. Asthma is a long-term condition that is triggered by allergies or environmental conditions, and symptoms often get worse without the patient realizing it. It’s important to monitor your asthma and to know when and where to seek help if an emergency arises. Getting emergency treatment could be lifesaving. If you live in Turlock, CA contact Turlock Express Lane Urgent Care for emergency treatment for asthma or any other condition.

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What is Asthma?

Asthma is a common condition that affects the lungs and respiratory system. Symptoms vary in severity and include coughing, feeling out of breath, wheezing, and tightness of the chest. The use of an inhaler controls asthma, and most patients can keep their asthma under control the majority of the time.

Asthma Attack Symptoms

During an asthma attack, you may feel unable to breathe, and this could become uncontrollable and life-threatening. If you feel like you’re struggling to breathe or are out of breath when sitting down, you should seek urgent medical attention. If you’ve used your inhaler and it had little or no effect or if you’re having problems with normal functioning such as walking, talking, or doing daily activities, seek treatment immediately.

More advanced symptoms of an asthma attack include lips and fingernails turning blue and feeling exhausted or confused. The skin surrounding your ribs may start to look sucked in. This is especially common in children. If left untreated, a severe asthma attack could lead to unconsciousness.

Create an Emergency Asthma plan

Everybody’s asthma varies slightly, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about creating an emergency treatment plan. Your doctor may give you a different type of inhaler to be used to emergencies when your symptoms get more severe. You’ll also be given a peak flow meter, which you can blow into when you feel out of breath to check how well you can breathe. If your peak flow is showing below a certain percentage of your normal reading (which has been agreed by your doctor beforehand), you’ll have to go to an emergency room or call 911.

It’s important to get help as soon as your breathing starts to deteriorate. Waiting too long to get help could be deadly.

It’s a good idea to write down your emergency asthma plan and to have it at hand should an emergency arise. Let your family know where it is so that they know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Please include the following information on your action plan, so that you don’t need to try and remember it in an emergency.