What Triggers An Asthma Attack?

An asthma attack is an event in which the symptoms of asthma become significantly intense. There may be an increase in wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and a shallow, rapid, and labored breathing. What triggers an asthma attack?

The duration of an asthma attack can vary from minutes to hours or even to days. The onset may be sudden, although severe symptoms may have been experienced from a few days before.

An asthma attack can be described as mild, moderate or severe. This depends upon the extent of blockage in the bronchial airways. While most occurences can be managed with proper and timely medication, the status "asthmaticus" constitutes a medical emergency. Attacks may occur in any season, although in certain seasons the tendency of their happening may be more.

An asthma attack occurs after an individual has been exposed to triggers or irritants. Each individual who suffers from asthma tends to be affected by certain specific triggers and irritants. The individual usually develops an allergy to these specific causative agents. Such triggers and irritants may include pollen, wool, animal dander, cigarette smoke, dust mites, certain chemicals, and vapors.

It may take a certain period of time after exposure to triggers for the onset of an asthma attack. This duration may range from a few hours to some days. It is due to long-term inflammation in the bronchial airways that carry air to the lungs. The inflammation leads to sensitivity of the airway wall cells to the triggers.

During intense asthma, the muscles around the airways go into contraction. As a result the airway passage becomes constricted. This results in reduced airflow in and out of the lungs. Acute shortness of breath is therefore experienced during an asthmatic attack. Extra mucus may be also produced by the cells lining the bronchial airways in some people because of which the airways may become blocked partially.

There is no permanent cure for the disease. The goal of treatment of asthma patients is to manage the attacks.

In addition to medication such as albuterol, you can use certain home remedies as natural treatment for an asthma attack. One such home remedy is to massage mustard oil mixed with camphor all over the chest. Inhalation of steam prepared by mixing caraway seeds in boiling water also helps in widening the bronchial airways.

Regular fennel chewing also helps expel infected mucus from the chest. This home remedy can be used to prevent an asthma attack. Similarly, a dose of 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls of Spiegel seed taken twice a day can help minimize an asthma attack.

It is important to remember to use home remedies for an asthma attack under medical supervision and use them to only supplement the medication prescribed by doctors.

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