How to Stop an Asthma Attack

Sometimes an asthma attack can be stopped if you relax, use your inhaler and breathe effectively. Other times, treatment for an asthma attack requires a trip to the hospital. The key is proper planning, so you know what to do when an attack occurs.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Asthma Medications
• Peak Flow Meter

1. Try not to panic. This will cause your muscles to get tense, your bronchial tubes to spasm, and your breathing to become shallow and fast.

2. Begin pursed-lip breathing. (See below.)

3. Use your peak flow meter to check the severity of your attack.

4. Use your inhalant - generally two puffs of a beta agonist every 20 minutes.

5. Get away from triggers such as pet dander, smoke, cold air and perfume.

6. Assess your response to treatment. Good response is a mild cough or wheeze; fair response is a marked cough and wheeze and mild use of rib and neck muscles to breathe. Poor response is a severe cough and wheeze, an inability to talk, and blue lips and nail beds.

7. Use your asthma medications as ordered by your doctor. Usually, the doctor will have given you exact instructions on what medicines to use during an attack. Generally, when you've had a good response, continue treatment with nebulizer every four hours. For a fair response, begin an oral steroid burst. For poor response, start an oral steroid burst and call your doctor or go to the emergency room.

8. Follow the medication instructions carefully to reverse the bronchospasms.

Tips & Warnings

• To purse-lip breathe: Close your mouth and inhale through your nose. Purse your lips as if you are going to blow out a candle. Exhale slowly with as little force as possible. Your exhale should last twice as long as your inhale.
• Don't hold your breath between inhalation and exhalation.
• Peak flow meters are inexpensive instruments that can be used by the patient to measure lung function. They are an excellent self-care tool and invaluable in assessing the severity of an asthma attack.
• For more information on asthma, call (800) 7-ASTHMA during business hours, Monday through Friday, Eastern Standard Time.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other healthcare professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Who Can Help:

• Overweight? Lose 30+ lbs without pills or diets- guaranteed
• Arthroscopic Alternative to Spine Surgery- For Back & Neck - Free MRI Review by our Doctors. Get your life back!
• Do you suffer from back pain? Learn more about our Medicare approved back support system. Medicare covers 85% of the cost.

[trentlthomas]

on 6/4/2009 good tips. try this against asthma http://albuterolstore.com/

[wickedheart]

on 11/3/2008 Since i leave in a home with lots of animals, dogs, cats and birds. It gets hard for me to follow any of ur advice. What usually works for me is a pill called bronkaid or an machine with saline solution. Because proventil aggitates my heart so much it feels like it takes me longer to breath.

on 8/29/2006 All though I am only 16, I know how to deal with a big attack. Many times I was caught off guard with a heavy attack maybe outside far from my house without any means of getting home to my meds I left there. If this happens, then:
1. Stop what you are doing even if it’s important.
2. Don’t stress out calm down think of some thing to calm you down.
3. Explain to whom ever you are with what is going on.
4. Think of the fastest way of getting home.
5. Avoid stress from the background, like; loud dogs, heavy traffic, stress full places.
6. If you can drink plenty of water, but not cold water, this only makes it worse (for me it does) if you can sip warm water for a while.
7. Don’t run to get home this of course will make everything a lot worse.
8. Make it a first thing to sit and relax when you get home ask someone to get you the meds you need.
9. if you cant get home and in less then 1 hour and the attack is really bad then ask any where (bar, store, office) or anyone to use a phone if they have one explain what is happening to them, I am shore they will let the "phone for customers only" thing pass that time.
10. talk as little as you can, talking is hard work on the muscles in the neck and tenses it up some times.
11. If it's cold then stay warm don’t let your jacket stay open while you walk.
11 If it’s too hot out then drink allot and stay cool over heating will make things worse.
12. Remember this stuff, if you forget it when this happens, this info will be useless to you.

on 8/8/2006 1. Calm down.
2. Get an inhaler or machine.
3. Mix the chemicals in the machine.
4. If it doesn't work, go to the hospital for shots to help you breathe.
5. Try to stay away from perfumes and smoke.

on 8/8/2006 1. Calm down.
2. Take deep breaths.
3. If the air is cold, cover yourself with a blanket, or try to go somewhere where it is warm.
4. Administer whatever medication your doctor has prescribed to you.