In an asthma exacerbation, also called an asthma attack, your airways become inflamed and swollen. Contracting of the muscles around the airways and additional mucus production causes the bronchial tubes to narrow. During asthma attacks, you may wheeze, cough, or have trouble breathing. Symptoms of minor asthma attacks get better with prompt home remedies. However, sometimes severe asthma attacks don’t improve with home remedies and become life-threatening emergencies.
If you cannot contact your primary health care provider during a severe asthma attack, you must seek asthma attack treatment in the emergency rooms near you. It would help if you recognized the need for prompt medical attention because severe asthma attacks can last longer. Therefore it is essential to identify and treat even mild symptoms of asthma attacks helping you to prevent painful episodes and to keep the condition under control.
What Are the Symptoms of Asthma Attacks?
The signs and symptoms of asthma attacks include:
- Severe breathlessness, tightness and chest pain, coughing, and wheezing.
- Low PEF (peak respiratory flow) readings if you use a peak flow meter.
- Unresponsive symptoms when using a quick-acting inhaler.
The signs and symptoms of asthma attacks can vary between patients making it essential for you to work with your doctor to identify the specific signs and symptoms of worsening asthma.
If your symptoms worsen even after taking medications as directed by your doctor, you can find help from the emergency room near me. However, your doctor can help you learn how to recognize asthma emergencies to ensure you know when to get help.
When to See a Medical Professional for Asthma Attacks
If your asthma flares up, you can follow the treatment modalities you and your doctor worked out in your plan. If your symptoms improve, all you need is home treatment. Unfortunately, if your symptoms don’t improve with home remedies, you may seek attention from the ER near me.
Verify Asthma Control Steps with Your Doctor
Asthma changes over time, making it essential for you to make periodic adjustments to your treatment plan to keep daily symptoms in check. Your chances of having a severe asthma attack increase in the condition aren’t controlled. Ongoing lung inflammation indicates your asthma can flare up at any time.
You must visit all scheduled appointments with your doctor, especially if you have frequent asthma flareups or low peak flow readings. If you feel your asthma isn’t controlled appropriately, make an appointment to see your doctor.
When to Seek Asthma Emergency Treatment
You must seek ER asthma treatment right away if you have signs and symptoms of a severe asthma attack. The symptoms include:
- Severe breathlessness or wheezing, specifically at night or in the early mornings.
- The inability to converse because of shortness of breath.
- Staining of the chest muscles when breathing.
- Quick-acting inhaler eliciting no response.
- Low PEF readings when using a peak flow meter.
The symptoms indicate the need for immediate medical attention either from your primary health care provider or from the emergency room in Harker Heights, TX. When affected by a severe asthma attack, the optimal option is to entrust a medical professional with your health instead of trying to battle a life-threatening condition.
The thought of visiting emergency rooms may scare you with the belief that emergency rooms will charge you higher prices for the treatment leading you to compare asthma treatment ER vs. urgent care. While your concerns are justified, it helps if you understand you will likely receive prompt treatment from the ER near you than an urgent care clinic working under restrictions with limited hours and services.
Emergency rooms function 24 x 7 and also have various services to provide the emergency care you need. After all, when confronting a life-threatening situation, you wouldn’t want to visit a facility without experienced staff or the necessary infrastructure to diagnose your condition and treat it without making you run around for testing and reports.
Emergency rooms are equipped with the best medical equipment to correctly diagnose your symptoms and get them treated with trained doctors experienced in emergency medicine. As a result, the emergency rooms don’t just prioritize your comfort but also your health. They ensure your health improves without distress or discomfort.
If you cannot get to your primary health care provider when affected by a severe asthma attack, you must choose the best alternative available by visiting the ER near you for relief.
