Asthma is a chronic condition in which the airways undergo changes when encountered with allergens. The airwaves respond by constricting and narrowing (hyperactive) as well as swell and fill with mucus (inflammatory). This causes the person to cough, wheeze and feel short of breath. The symptoms of asthma can range from mild to severe. When asthma symptoms get significantly worse, it is known as an asthma attack.
The symptoms of asthma include:
- feeling breathless (you may gasp for breath)
- a tight chest, like a band tightening around it
- wheezing, which makes a whistling sound when you breathe
- coughing, particularly at night and early morning
- attacks triggered by exercise, exposure to allergens and other triggers
You may experience one or more of these symptoms. Symptoms that are worse during the night or with exercise can mean your asthma is getting worse or is poorly controlled. Talk to your doctor or asthma nurse about this before you start to use the Medix mains nebuliser set.
Asthma attack
A severe asthma attack usually develops slowly, taking 6 to 48 hours to become serious. However, for some people, asthma symptoms can get worse quickly.
As well as symptoms getting worse, signs of an asthma attack include:
- you get more wheezy, tight-chested or breathless
- the reliever inhaler is not helping as much as usual
- there is a drop in your peak expiratory flow
If you notice these signs, do not ignore them. Contact your GP or asthma clinic or consult your asthma action plan, if you have one.
Know the asthma symptoms in children
In the UK more than 1.1 million children have asthma. For unknown reasons, the incidence of asthma in children is steadily increasing. While asthma symptoms can begin at any age, most children have their first asthma symptoms by age five. Asthma is characterised by inflammation of the bronchial tubes with increased production of sticky secretions inside the tubes. Not all children with asthma wheeze. Chronic coughing with asthma may be the only obvious sign, and a child’s asthma may go unrecognised if the cough is attributed to recurrent bronchitis.
Asthma can start at any age. Sometimes, people have asthma when they are very young and as their lungs develop, the symptoms go away but, there is a possibility that it will come back later in life. Sometimes, people get asthma for the first time when they are older. The Medix mains portable nebuliser set or the Medix home & away nebuliser set is a very useful piece of equipment to have in the home.