1. Recognize Asthma Symptoms
Asthma is an illness in which something in your environment (such as mold, dust or pollen) triggers an immune reaction in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Common symptoms include coughing, which may be worse at night, and wheezing, which is a squeaky sound when you breathe. You may also feel shortness of breath and chest tightness, as if you can't get enough air into your lungs.
2. Note the Frequency of Asthma Attacks
Asthmatics differ in the frequency and severity of their attacks. While you might suffer an attack only every few months, some people might deal with them every week. Sometimes they are only mild attacks, while others can be life-threatening. People with severe asthma should see an asthma specialist periodically. If you have a milder form of asthma, visiting your primary care physician should be sufficient to care for your asthma properly
3. Symptoms of Moderate and Mild Attacks
To spot a moderate or mild attack, notice if you are spitting up mucus or feel your chest tightening. If you have trouble sleeping, it could also be a sign of an impending attack. (This is especially true for kids.) You might also be wheezing. This is the time to take the rescue medication provided by your doctor, which should clear up your symptoms in a few minutes to a few hours.
4. Spot a Severe Attack Before It Happens
During a severe attack you may become completely breathless. You might begin to have trouble talking and the area around your lips or under your fingernails may turn bluish, as oxygen is not getting circulated throughout your body. The rib area might look sucked in, especially in children. This is the time to take your rescue medicine and get yourself to your doctor's office or a hospital ER immediately. During a severe attack, if you wait too long for medical intervention, you could die.
