Asthma is an increasingly common health condition in modern society. No doubt you’ve heard about it. But unless you actually suffer from the problem, you might not know what actually transpires during an asthma attack. If you suspect you have asthma, or just want to know more about it, here’s some important information.

Symptoms of an asthma attack include shortness of breath, coughing and a wheezing or whistling sound in your chest. This is a severe condition, and can be fatal if you don’t learn to manage it.

So what is it that sets off an attack of asthma? It can vary depending on the individual. Some of the most common triggers are allergens such as dust, pollution, pollen, cigarette smoke and perfume. Indeed, allergies and asthma often go hand in hand. Things like a change in the atmospheric pressure, cold air, exercise or a common cold virus can also trigger asthma symptoms.

An asthma attack takes place within the air passage to your lungs. The opening and closing of your airways are controlled by a specific muscle. It’s completely reflexive, so you can’t control it voluntarily. But allergens or the other factors that were pointed out above can cause it to constrict. If you suffer from asthma, the muscle tends to overreact to the irritants, and you’ll experience an asthma attack.

If the muscle tightens up, the air passage becomes constricted. As well, a build up of mucus takes place, and at the same time the lining becomes inflamed and starts to swell. The presence of mucus in the air passages is completely normal, because it helps the flow of air from the lungs. But when you’re experiencing an asthma attack, the production of mucus increases, thereby filling the air passages.

It’s hard to breathe when this accumulation of mucus is present. As long as the excess mucus is in place, the asthma attack won’t stop. So it’s essential that you manage your symptoms quickly with a medication that has been prescribed by your doctor.

Sometimes an attack will last just a few minutes. However, a severe attack can last for hours or even days. You might experience a period of time without symptoms, but without proper treatment they’ll be back.

It’s important to check with your doctor right away if you think you have asthma. Tests will be run in order to make an accurate diagnosis. As well, they’ll try to figure out what’s triggering the attacks. Once you know what your triggers are, it’s essential that you avoid them as much as possible. You’ll need to work closely with your doctor and follow the prescribed asthma treatments if you want to prevent future attacks. The attacks can be deadly, so don’t ignore your symptoms.

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