What About Herbal Remedies
If your tight chest and wheezing are being caused by seasonal allergies, then you may find a remedy for seasonal allergies to be effective in easing these symptoms, as well as other seasonal allergies symptoms you are experiencing.
For example, Pollinosan Allergy Relief Tablets combines several different herbs which work together to relieve seasonal allergies symptoms. They can be found in the original formula devised by Alfred Vogel.
However, you may also find that easing congestion will ease your feeling of tightness in the chest, and thus a decongestant may be beneficial to you. Sinna Nasal Spray can be used alongside Polinosan seasonal allergies Tablets, and will clear and soothe nasal passages.
What Should I Do If I Think I Have Asthma
If you think that you have asthma, the best thing you can do is see your healthcare provider as soon as possible for proper testing and diagnosis. Many people normalize their symptoms, without ever realizing that a symptom-free life could be possible. Its crucial to never ignore or downplay your asthma symptoms, you never know when something could trigger a potentially fatal asthma attack.
The sooner that you get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, the sooner you can take control of your asthma and live life to the fullest.
Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
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What Is The Outlook For A Tight Chest
Chest tightness isnt a symptom to take lightly. If you experience chest tightness with other concerning symptoms, see a doctor immediately. Chest tightness could be a symptom of a serious health condition, like a heart attack.
If your chest tightness is the result of anxiety, you should discuss the symptoms with your doctor. Anxiety should be treated early to keep it from getting worse. Your doctor can help you implement a plan thatll reduce anxiety and chest tightness. This may include lifestyle adjustments that help you manage the anxiety from home.
Causes Of Wheezing In Babies And Children
Newborns breathe only through the nose, so when they are congested or in the wrong position, they may make a wheezing or squeaking sound.
As long as they are breathing at a normal rate and the chest is not caving in, this is nothing to worry about.
If a babys chest begins caving, they are breathing rapidly, or wheezing is associated with an illness, they should be taken to a doctor or pediatrician.
When the airways narrow due to irritation, illness, or a blockage, air moving through them can make a squeaking sound.
Some people experience other symptoms as well, including discomfort when breathing or a choking sensation.
Causes include:
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Asthma
Your healthcare provider will review your medical history, including information about your parents and siblings. Your provider will also ask you about your symptoms. Your provider will need to know any history of allergies, eczema and other lung diseases.
Your healthcare provider may order a chest X-ray, blood test or skin test. Your provider may order spirometry. This test measures airflow through your lungs.
Using A Spacer With The Inhaler
If you or your child find it difficult to use an inhaler, your doctor may give you a spacer to use with it.
A spacer is a large metal or plastic container with a mouthpiece and a hole for the inhaler. When used with the inhaler it makes it easier to get the right amount of salbutamol into the lungs.
Spacers are especially useful for giving salbutamol to young children.
Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse can show you how to use a spacer with the inhaler.
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Video: Signs That Your Asthma Is Getting Worse
Transcript for Signs that your asthma is getting worse
0:00 Asthma attacks rarely happen out of the blue.
0:03 They often take a few days to build up.
0:07 Asthma is different for everybody.
0:10 By learning how to recognise when your asthma symptoms are getting worse,
0:14 itll help you to stay in control.
0:18 So, signs that your asthma is getting worse are variable.
0:23 The most common sort of signs are you may feel some wheezing,
0:26 you may have a cough, you may find a tightness in your chest.
0:32 If you keep a peak flow diary, you may find that your peak flow scores are reducing a bit.
0:38 You may also find that youre using your blue reliever inhaler more frequently than you usually would.
0:45 If your symptoms continue to be worse and youre using your blue inhaler a lot,
0:52 then please do call us on the helpline or contact us by email,
0:56 especially if youre not sure what to do next.
0:59 We can discuss whats been going on with you
1:01 and make a plan for a way forward.
1:05 If you are using your preventer inhaler as prescribed,
1:09 every day, even when youre well and using really good inhaler technique,
1:14 and despite this, your asthma symptoms are getting worse,
1:18 its a good idea to see your GP.
Related resources
Adult action plan
Using an asthma action plan will help you to stay well. Download and fill in with your GP.
Keep Medications In A Cool Dry Place
A person should store inhalers at a controlled room temperature of about 77°F , though a range of 5986°F is usually safe.
Leaving medication in a car or another environment likely to experience extreme temperature changes can reduce its effectiveness.
If this happens, consult a doctor or pharmacist. They may recommend replacing the product.
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Chest Tightness Due To Anxiety: Symptoms Causes And Solutions To Relieve It
- Chest tightness is a real, common physical symptom of anxiety
- It is more common in some types of anxiety than others
- Breathing exercises have a direct effect on chest tightness, although it may not address all the different causes
- It is not uncommon for chest tightness from anxiety to trigger further anxiety, especially in those with health fears
- How you address the tightness has to do with its cause. However, all anxiety related chest tightness will decrease if a person learns to manage their anxiety
Your Gp Or Asthma Nurse Can Help Your Asthma Symptoms
Theres a lot your GP or asthma nurse can do to help stop symptoms building up to an asthma attack. Book an appointment now to get the support you need to lower your risk.
Your GP/asthma nurse can:
- Talk to you about why your asthma symptoms have got worse
- Check youre taking your preventer medicine every day. If you havent been taking it regularly, they can suggest ways to get into a good routine with it so its easier to remember.
- Look at your inhaler technique to make sure youre getting the medicine you need
- Suggest a higher dose, or more puffs, of your preventer inhaler for a while
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Follow Your Childs Action Plan
An asthma action plan tells you which medicines your child takes every day and how to treat asthma attacks. It may include an asthma diary where your child records peak expiratory flow and/or symptoms. You also can list the cause of the symptoms and the quick-relief medicine used for asthma symptoms. This helps you to identify triggers that can be changed or avoided and to be aware of your childs symptoms. A plan also helps you make quick decisions about medicine and treatment.
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Are There Conventional Medicines To Help Me
Conventional medicines can be used to treat seasonal allergies symptoms.
In general, doctors are likely to advise anti-histamines to combat the excess release of histamine in the body. Anti-histamines can be bought over-the-counter, and can be taken as required to tackle symptoms or as a preventative measure. Some anti-histamines cause drowsiness and so you may need to be careful when driving or using machinery.
In extreme cases and for quick but short-term relief, your doctor may suggest a course of steroids. It is inadvisable to use steroid treatment for more than ten days, as unpleasant side-effects may be seen with long-term usage.
Other forms of treatment that may be recommended include cromoglycate tablets or sprays. They work by reducing the tendency of your immune system to react to pollen.
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What Are The Most Common Asthma Symptoms
The most common symptoms of asthma are:
Experiencing one or more of these symptoms could mean you have asthma. Its more likely to be asthma if your symptoms keep coming back, are worse at night, or happen when you react to a trigger such as exercise, weather or an allergy.
Could it be asthma?
If youre experiencing symptoms of asthma, book an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. Theyll be able to work out whether its asthma or something else, such as a chest infection, gastric reflux, or a bad cold.
If you think your child might have asthma, we have more information on spotting the symptoms in children.
Coughing
A cough that keeps coming back is a symptom of asthma. Its more likely to be asthma if your cough is accompanied by other asthma symptoms, like wheezing, breathlessness or chest tightness.
Not everyone with asthma coughs. If you do cough its usually dry, or someone with uncontrolled asthma might have thick clear mucus when they cough. The right treatment can mean youre cough-free most of the time.
Wheezing
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling noise coming from your airways, mostly when you breathe out.
Some people feel their asthma isnt taken seriously because they dont wheeze. You may still have asthma even if you haven’t noticed a whistling sound – so dont put off seeing your GP.
Breathlessness
Chest tightness
What Happens During Asthma Attacks
Asthma attacks may start as minor but if not managed effectively, can turn dangerous. During an asthma attack, the airways become swollen and constricted more than usual. Breathing properly becomes quite tough. Some signs of an asthma attack are:
- Wheezing while breathing in and out
- Extremely rapid breathing
Read More on Asthma Causes & Triggers
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Are There Natural Remedies For Asthma Attacks
The typical treatment for an asthma attack is a quick-acting with . Sit upright and take slow, steady breaths. Try to stay calm. Follow the asthma action plan that youâve set up with your doctor. If your breathing doesnât get better or if youâre so short of breath that you canât talk, get medical help right away.
Some breathing exercises can help with symptoms of an asthma attack.
- Pursed-lip breathing. This slows your breathing and helps hold your airways open longer so your lungs work better. With your closed, breathe in slowly through your nose. Then breathe out through your , with your lips pursed like youâre whistling, for twice as long.
- Belly breathing. This technique uses the same steps as pursed-lip breathing. But as you breathe in, focus on the movement of your belly. Picture it filling with air like a balloon. It may help to keep your hands on your belly so you can concentrate on the air going in and out.
What Happens During An Asthma Attack
Exposure to allergens can cause asthma attacks.
The lungs are like trees with many branches, but instead of leaves at the end, there are balloon-like air sacs that inflate and deflate to help a person breathe. The tree’s trunk and the branches that lead from it are all part of the airways.
These airways are usually open, allowing oxygen to fill the air sacs in the lungs. However, when a person has asthma, the linings of the airways become inflamed and irritated or can swell or have extra mucus present.
These situations can make breathing harder because a person cannot move as much air through a smaller airway.
Sometimes, people can experience an acute asthma flare-up known as an asthma attack.
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Side Effects Of Asthma Medication
If you are worried about possible side effects from asthma medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop or reduce doses of medication for your child without speaking with your doctor. Common side effects from inhaled asthma medication:
Preventers
- sore mouth and throat
- fungal throat infections.
Using a spacer reduces the risk of these side effects. as does rinsing the mouth with water after using an inhaler.
Relievers
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You Can Control Your Asthma
You can control your asthma! When you control your asthma, you will breathe easier, be as active as you would like, sleep well, stay out of the hospital, and be free from coughing and wheezing. Learn about controlling your asthma at CDCs asthma site.
Asthma is one of the most common lifelong chronic diseases. One in 13 Americans lives with asthma, a disease affecting the lungs and causing repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing.
Although asthma cannot be cured, you can control your asthma successfully to reduce and to prevent asthma attacks, also called episodes. Successful asthma management includes knowing the warning signs of an attack, avoiding things that may trigger an attack, and working with your doctor to develop your personal Asthma Action Plan. CDCs National Asthma Control Program has worked to help millions of people with asthma in the United States gain control over their disease since 1999. CCARE, Controlling Childhood Asthma and Reducing Emergencies, is the programs new objective of preventing 500,000 Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations due to asthma by August 31, 2024.
Asthma deaths have decreased over time and varied by demographic characteristics. The rate of asthma deaths decreased from 15 per million in 2001 to 10 per million in 2018. Deaths due to asthma are rare and are thought to be largely preventable, particularly among children and young adults.
Asthma deaths have decreased over time.
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Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Tightness In Chest
Many people suffer from tightness in the chest and difficulties in breathing. These are often a result or indication of other diseases. Read on to find out the causes, symptoms, and best home remedies for getting rid of tightness in chest:
More on Angina This is a kind of pain that comes from the heart. Like every other muscle in the body, the heart needs a good amount of blood supply. When the coronary arteries get narrowed, it reduces the blood supply to the heart muscles which results in pain. The chest pain that is caused due to this particular condition at times feels like an ache spread all across the front side of your chest region as and when you are under some kind of physical exertion. Angina pain often automatically eases up when you rest for a while. It is also important to note that this kind of pain can also be felt in your arms, neck, jaw, or your stomach.
When To See A Doctor
Whether you have been diagnosed with asthma or not, it is important that you get medical help for your chest tightness.
Consider going to an emergency room if:
- The discomfort is severe.
- You have associated chest pain, tachypnea , nausea, sweating, dizziness, or fainting.
- The sensation is localized to a specific area of your chest.
- Your chest tightness is associated with physical activity or progressively worsens.
- You have a feeling of impending doom or that something is horribly wrong.
- You experience mild chest tightness at the same time every day or when your asthma medicine is wearing off.
- You only experience chest tightness along with your other asthma symptoms.
- You started having occasional chest tightness when you had a change in your asthma medication.
- Your chest tightness improves when you use your asthma rescue treatment, but is recurrent.
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Other Causes Behind A Tightening Chest Sensation
The sudden feeling as though one’s chest is tightening can be a worrying experience. The first thought that might occur is that one is experiencing a heart attack. However, cardiac arrest is not the only possible cause of a tightening chest sensation. It may very well be one of the causes listed below. As with any health concern, be sure to consult with one’s doctor for a professional diagnosis.
When To Seek Medical Help
Often, a rescue inhaler is enough to treat an asthma attack.
If youre unable to get your asthma attack under control, you may need to seek emergency medical attention. Go to the nearest ER if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- extreme shortness of breath or wheezing, especially in the morning or at night
- needing to strain your chest muscles to breathe
- symptoms not subsiding after youve used a rescue inhaler
- having difficulty speaking
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My Experience With Chest Tightness And Asthma
I have never worn a corset, however, that is what I imagine happening in my chest when I experience chest tightness. I describe it as a corset to others because it feels like a physical barrier, holding my chest in as I try to inflate my lungs. As if I were being hugged too tightly as I try to inhale. Often, the constriction tightens with each attempted breath, spurring a counter-productive panic.
I dont always experience this symptom with my asthma, its a secondary symptom, mostly. When I do experience it, its usually accompanied by stress or anxiety, as an exacerbation to my initial flare. Im thankful for this, because, in all honestly, its terrifying.
My biggest fears to this day are drowning and suffocating, the feeling of not being able to breathe stemming directly from the tightness of my chest during an asthma attack. I like to understand my fears, I find it helps me to rationalize and reduce anxiety. So, I dove into a bit of research and this is what I found.