Dealing with an Asthma Attack

Written by Cassandra Merkling (last updated July 15, 2009)

Asthma attacks can really ruin your day. Everything is going well and you feel fine, and suddenly you are under the control of a condition caused by one of any number of irritants. The best thing to do? Try and ride it out and attempt treatment with some medication or medical supervision. But what do you do if you are all alone and at a loss? Try to stay calm and take things slowly. Relax. Of course, that is so much easier said than done.

Something that can help you when you are stuck with an asthma attack is, obviously, to get away from whatever is driving your attack. So many things can cause an asthma attack, but do your best to identify your airborne assailant and remove yourself from the situation. Once you have done that, you can start looking for help.

You may think you are making too big a deal about your attack and should not get help, but it is important to get help before it gets so bad that nothing anyone does will help you. It is also best to have someone nearby in case it gets to the point where you can no longer take care of yourself.

Take your medicine. This should be done immediately. Treat your asthma with your reliever medication if you have it. Do not worry about overdosing on it. It is designed to be taken as much as you need it. You can take each puff 10 seconds apart.

If you do not have your medication, try to breathe slowly. The muscles around your bronchial tubes are constricting, so the best thing for you to do is not panic. Try to keep yourself as in control as you can. You will accelerate the constriction if you let yourself get too worried. In some cases, positive affirmations can help. Just repeat a mantra in your mind, "I am feeling calm, I will be fine," or something to that effect. Repeated often enough, a mantra can shift your paradigm and help you to have more influence over what is happening to you.

Author Bio

Cassandra Merkling

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