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

MORE FROM CASSANDRA

Formal Dress Tips for the Plus-Sized Man

A snappy suit of clothing can be just the thing to make you look like the dashing hero of a movie. With these guidelines, ...

Discover More

Is It Time for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery?

You may have wondered if it is time for you to receive plastic surgery. It's a big decision, but here are a few things ...

Discover More

What is Archive Storage?

Archive storage is a useful thing when you're trying to preserve your memories. Know what to look for in storage mediums ...

Discover More
More Health Tips

What is Childhood Asthma?

If your child exhibits symptoms of asthma they may in fact have childhood asthma. Although asthma is incurable there are ...

Discover More

Surviving an Asthma Attack

For those who live with asthma, asthma attacks can be quite unnerving. Understanding what asthma is and how to handle an ...

Discover More

Recognizing an Asthma Attack

Recognizing symptoms of an asthma attack can help protect you or your child from serious respiratory complications. Be ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five less than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)