When To Go To Doctor For Asthma

Lifestyle And Home Remedies

All asthma attacks require treatment with a quick-acting inhaler such as albuterol. One of the key steps in preventing an asthma attack is to avoid your triggers.

• If your asthma attacks seem to be set off by outside triggers, your doctor can help you learn how to minimize your exposure to them. Allergy tests can help identify any allergic triggers.
• Washing your hands frequently can help reduce your risk of catching a cold virus.
• If your asthma flares up when you exercise in the cold, it may help to cover your face with a mask or scarf until you get warmed up.

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When To See Your Gp Or Asthma Nurse

Ask for an urgent appointment with your GP or asthma nurse if:

• your symptoms are coming back
• youre waking up at night because of your asthma
• your symptoms are getting in the way of your day-to-day routine
• you’re having symptoms, and using your reliever inhaler, three or more times a week.

These are all warning signs that you may be at risk of an asthma attack. Talk to your GP or asthma nurse about your asthma medicines. They can check you’re taking them in the correct way.

Getting help now means you can cut your risk of what could be a life-threatening asthma attack.

If your GP or nurse has given you a specific phone number to call when youre concerned about your asthma, continue to use that number.

But if you’re finding it hard to breathe, or your reliever inhaler isnt helping, call 999.

Book a routine appointment with your GP or asthma nurse if:

• you’re due an annual asthma review
• youre worried about the side effects of your medicines, or medicines not working as well
• you need health advice – for example, information about giving up smoking
• you’ve just come out of hospital after an asthma attack book an appointment within two days.

Always remember to take your written asthma action plan with you. If you haven’t got one, fill one out with your GP or asthma nurse at your next appointment.

Next review due September 2023

Chronic Asthma Management In Rochester New York

At Cornerstone Urgent Care, not only do we offer chronic disease management for asthma, but we also treat allergies a common asthma trigger. We provide urgent care in the event of an asthma attack, and we can help you manage your condition on a long-term basis. Plus, we provide on-site testing for your convenience.

Suffering from breathing difficulties? Contact Cornerstone Urgent Care, serving Rochester and the nearby region, for an appointment by calling 207-0088, or fill out our online contact form. In the event of an asthma attack, no need to book an appointment, just walk in.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Asthma Without Inhaler

Following The Asthma Action Plan

Well-managed asthma is rarely life threatening. People who have died from asthma usually hadnt taken their medicines as prescribed and had a history of repeated severe asthma flare-ups and emergency care.

If you and your child take asthma seriously and work to manage it, you can lessen the chances that your child will need to go to the ER.

Its important to monitor your childs asthma using the written asthma action plan your doctor helps you create. This plan will outline day-to-day treatment, symptoms to watch for, and step-by-step instructions to follow during a flare-up.

Some key points of a plan are:

Avoid Triggers

The doctor can help you identify the triggers that might cause asthma flare-ups, such as tobacco smoke, animals, dust mites, mold, pollen, perfumes, aspirin, weather change, cold air, exercise, and respiratory infections.

Take the Long-Term Control Medicines

Your child should take long-term control medicines as prescribed by the doctor, even when feeling fine. Skipping doses can cause the lungs to become more inflamed, which can lead to a decrease in lung function. It also increases the risk of more frequent and severe flare-ups.

Keep Quick-Relief Medicines Handy

Many kids go to the ER simply because they didnt have their quick-relief medicines handy. Your child should have quick-relief medicine available at all times. This includes making sure to keep the medicines at school with the nurse, at sporting events, and while traveling.

Whats The Treatment For Asthma

Several forms of preventative, long-term care treatment are available for asthmatics. These include corticosteroids, biologics, beta agonists, bronchodilators, and other medicines. They can be inhaled or taken orally.

Asthma patients often use rescue inhalers during an attack, as well. An inhaler delivers an immediate dose of medication to the airways. This helps to reduce inflammation, loosen the muscles around the airways, and clear out excess mucus.

If an attack does not respond to treatment, its important to get to an urgent care facility or hospital or call for an ambulance.

Also Check: Asthma Articles

Will Asthma Go Away

Asthma is chronic, but it may improve over time in some cases. While it may not go away entirely, management techniques can help minimize the impact it has on your life. Actively employing preventive techniques can help you avoid asthma attacks for months or years at a time. It is important to routinely see a doctor to ensure you stay ahead of health problems that could exasperate asthma symptoms.

Also Check: Airway Inflammation In Asthma

When To Go To The Er For An Asthma Attack

Asthma

There are few things people take for granted as much as breathing. Its such an automatic act that unless someone is consciously aware of it, it goes unnoticed Until suddenly, you cant do it anymore, that is.

What does it mean to have an asthma attack? What are the risk factors? How can you learn to recognize an attack is on its way?

Also Check: Can Allergies Cause Asthma Attacks

What Are Common Asthma Attack Triggers

An asthma attack happens when someone comes in contact with substances that irritate them. Healthcare providers call these substances triggers. Knowing what triggers your asthma makes it easier to avoid asthma attacks.

For some people, a trigger can bring on an attack right away. Sometimes, an attack may start hours or days later.

Triggers can be different for each person. But some common triggers include:

• Air pollution: Many things outside can cause an asthma attack. Air pollution includes factory emissions, car exhaust, wildfire smoke and more.
• Dust mites: You cant see these bugs, but they are in many homes. If you have a dust mite allergy, they can cause an asthma attack.
• Exercise: For some people, exercising can cause an attack.
• Mold: Damp places can spawn mold. It can cause problems for people with asthma. You dont even have to be allergic to mold to have an attack.
• Pests: Cockroaches, mice and other household pests can cause asthma attacks.
• Pets: Your pets can cause asthma attacks. If youre allergic to pet dander , breathing in the dander can irritate your airways.
• Tobacco smoke: If you or someone in your home smokes, you have a higher risk of developing asthma. The best solution is to quit smoking.
• Strong chemicals or smells.

With asthma, you may not have all of these symptoms. You may have different signs at different times. And symptoms can change between asthma attacks.

The Role Of Asthma Action Plans

An Asthma Action Plan can help. It has green , yellow , and red zones that help you know how to treat your asthma. You can and fill it out with your doctor.

With my kids, we learned that sometimes it is best to let the hospital take over medical care for our kids. They are fully trained and have all of the equipment to monitor them.

For those of you with small children that have asthma, pay close attention to their symptoms! Have a plan of what to do if your kids have any of the symptoms listed above â whether to call your doctor, call 911 or head to the hospital.

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When Do Asthma Attacks Require Medical Attention

There are some instances in which an asthma attack will not resolve on its own, with or without medication. One is called silent chest. Thats when there isnt even enough air moving through your lungs to cause wheezing.

In another very serious situation known as cyanosis, the patients lips can begin to turn a bluish shade. This is due to a lack of oxygen in the blood because of impaired breathing. This requires immediate care in the emergency room or from paramedics.

Do not hesitate to call 911 if an asthma patient shows either of these signs.

By Amory Urgent Care

Chances are that someone at your gym, on your kickball team, or in your running club has asthma. More than 26 million Americans do and while its an entirely treatable disease, it can also be scary to watch someone having an asthma attack.

Whether you have asthma or someone you love has just been diagnosed with this respiratory disorder, learn what the signs of asthma attacks are. That can help you know how to treat it, and when to go to urgent care.

Who Can Get Asthma

Anyone can develop asthma at any age. People with allergies or people exposed to tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke are more likely to develop asthma.

Statistics show women tend to have asthma more than men, and asthma affects Black Americans more frequently than other races.

When a child develops asthma, healthcare providers call it childhood asthma. If it develops later in life, its adult-onset asthma.

Children do not outgrow asthma. They may have fewer symptoms as they get older, but they could still have an asthma attack. Your childs healthcare provider can help you understand the risks.

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Can Asthma Be Prevented

Asthma cant be prevented entirely, but there are some practical ways to reduce the risk of an asthma attack and live well with asthma.

• Get vaccinated for influenza: flu and other respiratory viruses are common triggers for asthma.
• Manage any allergies: asthma and allergies are closely linked, so treating allergic rhinitis and avoiding or managing any allergy triggers will help with your asthma.
• Live smoke-free: quit smoking if you smoke, and avoid any second-hand smoke .
• Eat well: a balanced diet helps you to maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese makes asthma harder to manage.
• Care for yourself: mental health and asthma are linked, so let a trusted friend or your doctor know if you have been feeling sad or anxious, or dont enjoy things as much as before.
• See your doctor regularly: asthma needs to be regularly assessed and managed, and your medication needs may change over time. Ensure your asthma action plan is up to date by checking in with your doctor regularly.

Asthma Cancer Symptoms Causes And Treatment

Symptoms

Urgent care is appropriate for people with mild to moderate asthma symptoms, such as:

• Bothersome coughing or wheezing
• Mild chest tightness or shortness of breath
• Difficulty sleeping due to shortness of breath or coughing

These symptoms may worsen in cold weather, during exercise or when exposed to irritants like pollen or certain chemicals.

Emergency asthma treatment is sometimes necessary. Call 911 immediately if you or a loved one are experiencing signs of severe asthma, which may include:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, even while at rest
• Little to no improvement in symptoms after using a rescue inhaler

Causes

Multiple genetic and environmental factors can lead to asthma, even though its root cause isnt fully understood. Substances, behaviors and illnesses that cause asthma symptoms are known as triggers. Each persons asthma triggers will vary, but common triggers include: Stress and anxiety

Recommended Reading: Can You Join The Army If You Have Asthma

How To Manage Your Childs Asthma

Educate yourself about asthma: The more you know, the more confident you will feel when treating your childs asthma. Get an understanding of what the medicines do to help your child breathe and how to administer them properly. This goes for every caretaker that spends significant time with your child such as baby sitter, coaches, and teachers.

Have a : Having a child asthma plan will take the guesswork out of your treatment plan, something you dont want at all when dealing with your childs illness. When taking notes, pay attention to whats working. Have your childs symptoms been improving? If not, what symptoms are unchanged or worsening?

Dont let asthma consume your childs life: Its important to be proactive when it comes to your childs asthma, but dont let the illness interfere with your child enjoying his or her childhood. There can be a lot of restrictions when it comes to raising a child with asthma, but its important to allow them to have fun and a sense of normalcy.

Read Also: Joining Army With Asthma

It’s Important That You Go By The Symptoms Not The Oxygen Level

Doctors told us this many times when our kids were little. This article called Lets talk oximeters explains it this way:

Oxygen saturation is not a good indication of how bad your asthma flare-up is. Asthmatics are notoriously good oxygen compensators and can have near normal or completely normal oxygen stats during the midst of a severe asthma attack. Asthma is a disease of the airways, not the little air sacs where the gas exchange itself takes place. So even if your airways are very constricted and tight, often enough oxygen is able to pass through to your blood and therefore show a normal or near normal oxygen saturation. Now if you have been working really hard to breathe for a time your body will eventually tire out as you wont be able to compensate anymore and your oxygen levels will start to rapidly drop.

Kids can go from bad to worse VERY quickly. I have had that happen with my kids – even shocking the doctor at the hospital with how quickly my son ended up in ICU.

And there’s the matter of death. Many people are surprised to find out that people still die from asthma – in fact, 10 people die every day from asthma.

PLEASE make a plan with your doctor so you know when you need to take your child to the emergency room!

Read Also: How Long Does Asthma Last

When To Seek Medical Attention For An Asthma Attack

Approximately 25 million Americans, including 7 million children, suffer from asthma. An asthma attack can come on suddenly and leave the individual feeling as if they are drowning in air. When asthma symptoms are severe or continue getting worse over time, prompt medical attention is critical. Here are some considerations regarding when you should consider visiting FastMed Urgent Care for asthma attack treatment or to discuss your asthma treatment plan.

What Causes an Asthma Attack?

Asthma is a respiratory condition in which the bronchial tubes that allow the passage of air into and out of the lungs become inflamed and can also become blocked with excess mucus. An asthma attack occurs when the muscles surrounding the bronchial tubes constrict, which causes the air passages to narrow to the point that the individual cannot effectively move air into or out of the lungs.

A person may experience an attack after exposure to allergens or irritants, such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, cigarette smoke, or strong odors or fumes. Respiratory illnesses, such as the flu or sinusitis, weather changes, strenuous exercise, and even intense emotions may precipitate an attack. Most individuals with asthma will notice increased shortness of breath, diminished exercise tolerance, a worsening cough, and an increased need for the use of quick acting or rescue asthma inhalers just prior to an attack.

Common Symptoms of Asthma

Asthma Treatment

When to See a Doctor About Your Asthma

What’s An Asthma Emergency

As a parent of a child with asthma, you want to avoid the emergency room as much as possible. But it’s also important to know when going to the ER is the right choice.

Sometimes, kids with asthma need medical care very quickly. If any of these symptoms happen, see your doctor immediately, go to the ER, or call an ambulance:

• Your child has constant wheezing.
• Your child uses quick-relief medicines repeatedly for severe flare-up symptoms that don’t go away after 1520 minutes or return again quickly.
• Your child has a lasting cough that doesn’t respond to inhaled quick-relief medicine.
• There are changes in your child’s color, like bluish or gray lips and fingernails.
• Your child has trouble talking and can’t speak in full sentences.
• The areas below the ribs, between the ribs, and in the neck visibly pull in during inhalation .

Recommended Reading: Can Edibles Trigger Asthma

What Are The Complications Of Asthma

Poorly-controlled asthma can have a negative effect on your quality of life. Complications may include:

• being less productive at work or while studying
• an inability to exercise and be physically active
• reduced lung function
• poor mental health

Taking your medications exactly as prescribed is important. If you feel that your asthma is affecting your quality of life, contact your doctor for a medicines review.

What Are The Symptoms

You may have any of the following:

Shortness of breath, trouble breathing, or fast breathing

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Signs You May Need To See An Asthma Specialist

If your asthma is very mild or well-controlled, you may only need to rely on your primary care physician. Many people with asthma in the United States have their asthma treated by a primary care provider, and most of the time, youll get pretty good care, says Dr. Goldsobel. But if youre experiencing persistent asthma attacks or your symptoms are reoccurring frequently, you may need an asthma specialist. If any of these scenarios apply to you, you should seek the care of an allergist-immunologist or a pulmonologist:

• Your symptoms arent well controlled, arent getting better with treatment, or are negatively affecting your quality of life.
• Youre getting injectable or oral steroids more than once or twice a year. This is not considered good control, says Rambasek.
• Youre hospitalized or have to go to urgent care or the emergency room for asthma three times a year or more.
• You experience side effects from asthma medication, such as growth suppression , oral thrush, emotional changes, osteoporosis, or weight gain.

To find an asthma specialist, check out the AAAAI website, which lists providers by region. Your primary care physician may also be able to offer recommendations. When searching for an asthma doctor, look for someone who is board-certified , and if possible, try to find someone who is appropriate for your age group .

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