As much as many people lead normal lives with asthma, severe asthma attacks are seen as a medical emergency. They can lead to a dangerous blockage of airflow, making the situation life-threatening.
An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of asthma symptoms where the airways swell, narrow, and produce excess mucus, making it difficult to breathe. Some symptoms of an asthma attack include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, difficulty speaking in full sentences and feeling like air is being sucked out of you.
You must be wondering if there is a way to deal with asthma attacks at home, especially if you don’t have an inhaler.
According to Healthline, when you have an asthma attack, natural remedies are not going to work. You need to keep a rescue inhaler on hand for immediate relief. Check the date on the pump regularly to make sure it hasn’t expired. Keep taking puffs on the inhaler until help arrives.
If you do not have an inhaler, here is what you can do during the attack:
- Do your best to keep calm.
- Take a puff of your rescue medication inhaler, wait about 30 to 60 seconds, and give another puff.
- Repeat until you’ve have had up to 10 puffs in total (or as directed by their specific action plan).
- Stand or sit up straight.
Whether or not you are using an inhaler, if your breathing doesn’t improve within several minutes, or if you begin to feel drowsy, it’s time to seek emergency help. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
Also see: Do you have asthma? Here are exercises that are gentle on the lungs
