Recognizing and understanding symptoms of asthma are important skills to possess for a number of reasons. Notwithstanding the need to help protect yourself if you are one of the millions suffering what could be a debilitating condition, imagine if you are the parent of a child suffering.
Parents, siblings, relatives, teachers and other caregivers need to acquire the necessary knowledge about the symptoms of asthma to help protect a child inflicted with this nasty condition.
Parents are usually well-equipped with necessary knowledge. They have to be. However, parents entering into new territory where a child is recently diagnosed with the condition can gain a quick understanding about recognizing the symptoms of asthma and what to do.
Although early warning signs about an impending asthmatic occurrence can differ from person to person, there are fundamental common signs that are sure indicators. These include:
Change in breathing patterns
Shortness of breath
Sudden coughing spurts
Itchy and dry throat
Tightening in the chest
Dry mouth
Breathing only through the mouth
Pulse rate increases
Fatigue
Anxiety and irritability
An increase in sweating
Unusual quietness or over activity
The most common symptoms of asthma exhibited are the breathing changes. These can occur a day or two before an impending asthma attack. First, the change starts when the affected person starts experiencing unexplained shortness of breath without any physical exertion. Next, a cough occurs and then the frequency increases. The affected person begins emitting a wheezing-like sound, possibly accompanied by whistle noise also. Asthma causes the muscles around a persons airways to tighten while mucus is secreted that typically blocks airflow. As the blockage grows thicker, breathing becomes increasingly more difficult.
Through recognizing these symptoms, an attack might be averted or, at least, managed according to whatever plan you have established with a licensed physician. Consult with your doctor to make sure you have a full understanding of how to react when recognizing symptoms of asthma. It is very important that an asthmatic patient, or the caregiver for one, coordinate management efforts to ensure asthma attacks are properly handled.
Yes, knowledge is power and understanding the symptoms of asthma will provide you with the necessary information to empower your personal care or that for a suffering child who looks to you for help and relief.
Recognizing the symptoms of asthma when a full-blown attack is underway can help alleviate any accompanying fear and anxiety associated with confronting the occurrence:
Shortness of breath exhibited by a gasping for air
Tightening in the chest becomes acute and painful
A cough becomes persistent
That wheezing sound occurs particularly when exhaling
Children especially exhibit nostril flaring
Affected person experiences highly increased agitation, anxiety and fear
Attacks will typically peak in about 10 to 15 minutes but may continue at varying levels for a couple of hours. Your response, if either personally affected or coming to the aid of another, is again dictated through a carefully constructed management plan in accordance with the guidance from your doctor. Recognizing the symptoms of asthma should be an integral part of the plan.
