by Valerie Johnson

Created on: September 22, 2008

Chances are you know someone with it. More than 17 million people in the United States alone have it and 1/3 are children. It is asthma. Understanding what asthma is and recognizing early symptoms can decrease the risk of hospitalization or death related to an asthma attack.

Asthma is a condition that causes the lining of the lungs to swell and become inflamed, the muscles that surround the lung passages tighten making it difficult to exhale, mucous production is increased and is much thicker than normal. An asthma attack can be triggered by any number of things and prompt treatment is necessary as the inability to exhale causes carbon dioxide to build up in the blood.

According to www.emedicinehealth.com 5000 people die of asthma each year in the United States. Asthma cannot be cured but treatments are available to help reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks. An attack can build slowly over a period of time or it can come on suddenly with little warning. It is important to recognize the symptoms of an asthma attack so treatment can begin to restore the lungs ability to inhale and exhale, taking in life saving oxygen and getting rid of life threatening carbon dioxide.

The most common symptom and usually the first is wheezing. Wheezing is a sound that is musical or hissing and is usually heard when exhaling. Wheezing is caused by the movement of air through the narrow passages. Other important symptoms include:

*difficulty breathing
*coughing
*shortness of breath
*chest tightness, pain or pressure
*difficulty talking
*pale sweaty face
*bluish discoloration around the lips or fingernails
*anxiety or panic

Another symptom is called retractions. Retractions occur when the person is using what is called accessory muscles to breathe. Normally when we inhale and exhale, the muscles between the ribs contract which pulls the ribcage upward while the diaphragm moves downward. This movement expands the chest allowing the lungs to fill with air. When someone is having difficulty breathing, the muscles between the ribs suck in to help with the chest expansion. Retractions are a definite sign of labored or difficult breathing.

If an asthma attack goes untreated, the lungs will tighten to the point that wheezing will stop and the person will be unable to talk. These 2 symptoms tell that immediate emergent care is needed to prevent unconsciousness and death. Treatment includes using metered dose inhalers or a nebulizer to deliver medication to the lungs that will help in opening the airways. If after using the inhalers or nebulizer at home the symptoms do not improve, a trip to the emergency room is warranted. Oxygen and medications through an intravenous line can be given to help stop the attack.

Despite treatment, asthma attacks can still occur. It is important for an asthmatic to follow their treatment plan as ordered by the physician, know what the specific triggers are for them and have a friend or family member who is knowledgeable about their asthma and can recognize signs of an asthma attack and when to seek emergency care. Asthma is not a disorder that should be taken lightly but with proper preventative care and quick treatment of attacks, the asthma sufferer can lead a normal, productive life.

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