What to Do During an Asthma Attack

Asthma is a complex lung condition that affects many Australians every day. Asthma affects your ability to breathe normally. People with asthma have sensitive airways (tubes that transport air into their lungs) which become inflamed when exposed to triggers. Inflamed airways can become narrowed, making it hard to get enough air into your lungs. There is no cure for asthma currently available, but it can be effectively managed. It is known as an acute asthma flare-up or an asthma attack when symptoms suddenly become severe. Here is what you can do if you or someone you love is experiencing an asthma attack.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a common health condition that affects the airways in your lungs. People with asthma have sensitive breathing tubes (airways) that can become inflamed when exposed to certain triggers. Inflammation in the airways causes these tubes to become narrow and constricted, making it difficult to breathe properly. People with asthma often experience symptoms when exposed to their triggers, including wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

Who Experiences Asthma?

Asthma affected just under 2.7 million Australians in 2020-2021 or about 10.7% of the population. You can develop asthma at any time in your life, even if you didn’t have asthma as a child. Some children will stop experiencing asthma symptoms as they enter adulthood, however, asthma is a lifelong disease and not something you grow out of. If you have ever been diagnosed with asthma, you should always have an asthma treatment plan to use in case of a flare-up or attack.

It is not clear why some people develop asthma while others don’t. Children are more likely to have asthma if a close relative is diagnosed with asthma. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, or who were born with low birth weight are also at an elevated risk. Exposure to passive cigarette smoke, mould or air pollution can also increase your risk of asthma symptoms. Even healthy adults can acquire asthma through environmental exposure to triggers, including certain chemical fumes, dust and allergens. 

Asthma in Older Australians

Asthma is estimated to affect about 7-15% of the Australian population aged over 65 years. Despite this, asthma among older Australians is often misunderstood and underdiagnosed. Furthermore, previous interventions to improve asthma outcomes have been less successful among older people than children and younger adults. As the Australian and global population ages, it is important to better understand asthma in older people and how it affects them differently. These insights should then be used to develop more effective strategies to improve health outcomes for older Australians with asthma. 

Understanding Asthma Triggers: What Causes Asthma?

The medical field is not certain why some people have asthma while others do not. However, we do know that certain lifestyle and environmental factors can trigger the onset or worsen asthma symptoms. There is a wide range of triggers, and individuals with asthma may be sensitive to some triggers but not others. 

Common environmental triggers for asthma include dust, smoke, pollen, air pollution, animal dander and thunderstorms. Other lifestyle triggers can include respiratory illnesses like colds and flu, exercise, sex and laughter. People with asthma shouldn’t necessarily avoid these activities, but it is a good idea to seek advice from your doctor for medication or other preventative treatment options to prevent a flare-up as a result of these lifestyle factors. 

Some people experience worsening asthma symptoms as a result of emotional triggers, certain foods, hay fever, and local pollutants like mould or dampness. It is important to seek a formal diagnosis and thorough testing to understand your unique triggers and the most effective options to manage them.

Signs and Symptoms of Asthma

Effective management of asthma starts with knowing what signs and symptoms to look for, so you know that it is asthma you are experiencing. Symptoms occur as a result of narrowed airways, reducing the amount of airflow available throughout the body. This can cause a range of symptoms, which may differ from person to person. However, common symptoms often include difficulty breathing, wheezing, persistent coughing and tightness in the chest area. Some people who have asthma can also have what is called ‘silent symptoms’ meaning their inflamed airways don’t produce the more obvious signs such as wheezing or coughing.

Asthma Flare-Ups and Asthma Attacks

When your asthma symptoms become more severe, usually after exposure to triggers, it is called a flare-up. A sudden or severe asthma flare-up is known as an asthma attack. Asthma attacks can happen suddenly within a few minutes, or build up over days or weeks. Asthma attacks make it very difficult to breathe, with sufferers often describing the feeling of trying to breathe through a narrow tube. Asthma attacks are medical emergencies and cause around 400 deaths in Australia every year. 

Knowing the signs of a possible asthma attack can be lifesaving. As soon as you think you or someone else is having an asthma attack, it’s important to commence asthma first aid as soon as possible. Signs of an oncoming asthma attack include wheezing or breathing difficulties that are not alleviated by your reliever medication, or that return within three hours of taking your medication. If you are wheezing or coughing much more than normal, or your breathing is keeping you up at night, you may be having an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, you may also have low peak expiratory flow (PEF) readings, if you use a peak flow meter. 

Intervening with asthma first aid as soon as possible is crucial for preventing the asthma attack from becoming worse or even life-threatening.

Asthma First Aid: How to Manage an Asthma Attack

Asthma attacks can become medical emergencies without timely and effective intervention. Even if you have had asthma for most of your life, it is a frightening experience to have a serious asthma attack. Teach your family, friends and caregivers asthma first aid and do regular refreshers to ensure everyone knows what to do if an asthma attack occurs. The four steps to asthma first aid are

• Sit the person upright. Reassure them and do not leave them alone.
• Immediately give the person four (4) separate puffs of their reliever medication, using a spacer if accessible.
• Wait four (4) minutes. If there is no improvement, repeat steps 2 and 3.
• If there is still no improvement, dial triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance. Continue steps 2 and 3 whilst you wait for the paramedics to arrive.

To ensure you always have up-to-date instructions for performing asthma first aid, download Asthma Australia’s Asthma First Aid app onto your smartphone today. It can be difficult to remember the steps when you are frightened for your health or that of a loved one. The correct steps may differ slightly depending on the brand of reliever medication you use. Print or download the instructions for your specific asthma medication via the Asthma Australia website so you can access them wherever you are.

Recovery and Prevention: What to Do After an Asthma Attack

After an asthma attack or severe flare-up, it’s important to reflect on what factors contributed to the attack to help you prevent more attacks in the future. If you have had an asthma attack that required hospitalisation, it may mean your asthma is not currently well controlled. Part of your recovery process should include reviewing the events that led up to your attack. This should be done with your doctor and help inform an update of your personalised asthma action plan. Your doctor should help you to review the following factors to help you recover from and prevent future asthma attacks:

• How to avoid or better respond to asthma triggers in the future
• How to improve your current daily asthma control strategies
• How to improve the effectiveness of your current asthma medication
• Any other lifestyle factors that may be exacerbating your asthma and how to manage them
• Ensuring your asthma action plan is accurate and accessible for use during an asthma attack

Using Your Asthma Action Plan

Asthma Action Plans are one of the best ways to effectively manage your asthma on a daily basis and when you experience flare-ups or attacks. Your doctor should support you to create a plan that is custom to your unique condition, triggers, current management and medication regime. To find out more about what Asthma Action Plans look like, and the information they contain, you can browse the National Asthma Council’s templates. Your Asthma Action Plan should be easily available at all times, so it is a good idea to keep printed copies in your home, car, workplace, and anywhere else you spend a lot of time. It’s also a good idea to give copies to important people in your life, such as family, friends, colleagues, medical professionals and support workers or nurses so that everyone is well equipped to address symptoms wherever and whenever they occur. Taking a photo or scan of your written Asthma Action Plan to store on your smartphone is another handy way to make sure it is always available when you are out and about.

Responding to an Asthma Attack Without Reliever Medication

If you have asthma, it is crucial to have your reliever medication with you at all times in case of a flare-up or attack. However, despite your best efforts mistakes can happen and you may find yourself having to manage an asthma attack without access to your reliever medication. If this happens, call triple zero (000) immediately and explain the situation. Whilst you wait for the ambulance, you can use the following strategies to manage the asthma attack.

• Sit the person up straight. Avoid lying down as this constricts the airways. 
• Keep the person calm. Reassure them and try to minimise stress and panic as this impairs proper breathing.
• Try to take slow, deep, steady breaths. Focus on breathing through your nose if possible and taking air into your diaphragm (belly).
• Move away from triggers. Try to move into an area without any triggers to prevent symptoms from becoming worse.

Getting Support to Manage Your Asthma: Helpful Organisations and Resources

Asthma is a complex, chronic health condition that often requires lifelong management and monitoring. Make sure you or your loved ones living with asthma have access to enough external support to effectively control your asthma. There are many helpful organisations in Australia that are dedicated to supporting people with asthma to effectively manage their condition and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

Asthma Australia is Australia’s peak body for people living with asthma. Their team work with researchers, government bodies and medical professionals to deliver prevention and health interventions to over half a million people each year. Asthma Australia is dedicated to ensuring that people with asthma receive the highest quality evidence-based treatment available so they can live more freely. They can support you with information, resources, toolkits and apps to help you stay in control of your asthma. You can also contact an asthma educator by calling them on 1800 278 462 for personalised, professional advice. 

The National Asthma Council Australia is another great source of information, support and advice. They can provide you with information about treatment options and recommend allergy and trigger-friendly products through their Sensitive Choice program.

The Lung Foundation Australia is another peak body organisation that advocates for and supports people with lung conditions in Australia. They can provide you with useful information and advice, as well as support carers and family members of people living with asthma.

If you suspect you or a loved one is having an asthma attack, never delay in seeking emergency medical treatment by calling triple zero (000). Following an asthma flare-up or attack, you should always contact your GP to review your asthma action plan to ensure a full recovery and help you prevent future attacks. 

Asthma is a serious condition, but it doesn’t have to reduce your quality of life or prevent you from having fun and making memories with loved ones. Being prepared can drastically reduce your risk of serious asthma attacks, and leave you feeling calm and reassured that you know how to manage your asthma symptoms. If in any doubt, or if you want more support to manage your asthma, always speak to your trusted medical professional before making any changes to your asthma management strategies. 

How Homage Can Help You Manage Your Asthma

Asthma symptoms can make your regular activities difficult, especially during a flare-up. Our professional home nurses can assist with administering medications or put your asthma action plan into practice. Our patient transport service can help you to attend medical check-ups and appointments so that you never have to delay treatment due to a flare-up that prevents you from transporting yourself independently. We can even assist with basic domestic tasks like cleaning, shopping or food preparation, so you and your loved ones can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying each other’s company. Contact us today for an obligation-free consultation with our Care Advisors to find out how we can best support you in your asthma journey today.

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