Have you experienced shortness of breath simultaneously with a tight pain in your chest? If so, you’ve probably experienced an acute asthma exacerbation. This is a fancy way to say ‘asthma attack.’
So what is happening in your body when you have an asthma attack? Well, your airways become swollen, your muscles contract and your bronchial tubes get narrow. This situation is not one to be taken lightly. Acute asthma exacerbation can be life-threatening, so we recommend you come see us.
The symptoms and severity of asthma attacks vary from person to person. An individual can experience wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and/or shortness of breath. Acute asthma exacerbations also vary in length. Some attacks can last for one minute while others can last for hours.
There is a wide range of options that can cause an asthma attack. Some common triggers are upper respiratory infections, colds, pollen, mold, dust mites, pets, tobacco smoke, cold/dry air, exercise and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Sometimes it can be a combination of these factors.
If these symptoms sound familiar to you, we advise that you come in to get some tests done! It is important to learn how to treat an attack when it comes since it does have the potential to be life-threatening.
