NH_Emag_May-Jun2022

HEALTH & Wellness
ASTHMA
ATTACKS:
Learn These
First Aid Steps
All of a sudden, you feel out of breath,
your chest tightens, and it’s getting
harder and harder to breathe. These are
all common signs of an incoming asthma
attack. Here’s how to recognise the
symptoms and what to do if it happens to
you or the person next to you.
Whether it happens to you or someone else, an
asthma attack is a terrifying ordeal. At times it can
be a life-or-death situation – so it is important to
pay attention to the signs. Those who go through
bad asthma attacks often describe their episode as if
they were “breathing through a straw”. Some people
also liken the experience to choking or drowning and
having to fight for air.
How does an asthma attack happen? Dr. Tan Wee
Yong, Consultant Internal Medicine Physician from
Columbia Asia Hospital - Setapak, explains: “An
asthma attack occurs when an allergen is present
in the respiratory tract. The airways will react
by secreting more discharge and swell up when
triggered by the allergen. This causes the airways to
become tighter and leads to difficulty in breathing.”
Apart from these signs, other symptoms include
laboured breathing, shortness of breath, chest
tightness, wheezing, light-headedness and unable
to talk in full sentences. In severe cases, hypoxia can
happen. This condition causes the lips and fingernails
to turn blue due to a lack of oxygen. Difficulty in
conversing and hypoxia fall under the dangerous
category and if such symptoms arise, seek immediate
medical help.
TAKE NOTE!
Some asthma attack signs that warrant emergency
medical treatment include being unable to speak,
feeling unwell after using a rescue inhaler, and
strained chest muscles due to difficulty breathing.
18 Natural Health * May 2022 VOL 127