Asthma: Causes, Symptoms, and Emergency Room (ER) Treatment

Asthma is a chronic lung disease resulting in 1.8 million emergency visits and about 4,000 deaths yearly. There are several types of asthma, and although the disease can be controlled, there is not yet a cure, which means that asthma patients must manage their condition on a daily basis. When poorly controlled, asthma is potentially life-threatening. Moreover, it is estimated that about half of people living with asthma do not have their condition under control, making it more likely that these patients will end up in an emergency room due to an asthma attack.

Whether your asthma is severe or usually well under control, you may sometimes find it very hard to breathe. An asthma attack that doesn't get better, even with a rescue inhaler, can turn into a life-threatening emergency.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a respiratory condition that causes the airways to become inflamed and narrowed. It has several notable symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightening, and mucus production.

When to Go to Emergency Room (ER) for Asthma

If you are experiencing symptoms associated with Asthma, a chronic lung disease, you should go to your closest emergency room for immediate help. If you are experiencing a bad flare-up or your medicine isn’t working as intended, then it is time to seek emergency room help.

Do you have an Asthma? Visit an ER near you.

Common Asthma Symptoms

People experience several symptoms when they have the disease or an asthma attack. A variety of factors can cause these symptoms. Asthma symptoms can manifest in many ways. Below are common signs of the disease.

Coughing
Wheezing
Mucus Production
Chest Tightening

Causes of Coughing and Wheezing

Common Cold – The common cold can cause a person to a cough and wheeze as the virus travels to and infects the person’s sinuses and lungs.
Sinus Infection – Mucus produced in the infected sinuses can travel to a person’s throat and lungs that leads to coughing and wheezing.
Pneumonia – A serious viral or bacterial infection of the lungs can lead to fluid build-up and difficulty breathing as a person tries to cough up the mucus in his or her lungs.
Cold Air – Cold air can cause an asthmatic to experience temporary loss of breath or a “winded” feeling, as well as a dry throat and nose that induces coughing.
Scents and Odors – Many people with asthma are sensitive to strong smells like perfumes and flowers.
Smoke – Tobacco smoke or smoke from cooking, barbecues, campfires, and more induce coughing spells in many people with asthma.

Causes of Mucus Production

Aspiration – Inhaling foreign substances like water, dust, powder, pollen, or in the case of babies, meconium can lead to excessive mucus production.
Choking – Choking on food, medicine or beverages can people with the condition to experience mucus product that can lead to an asthma attack.
Allergies – Seasonal or chronic allergies often encourages excessive mucus to build in the throats, noses, and airways of people who have the disease.

Causes of Chest Tightening

Exercise – Running, jumping or even brisk walking can cause the chest to become tight and induce an attack.
Laughing –Chest tightness when they laugh or have bouts of giggling can cause an attack.
Menstruation – Some women report experiencing chest tightness when they have their menstruation accompanied by severe cramps are known to be causes of asthma symptoms.
Panic – Panic attacks or people who are stressed and fearful can experience any or all of these symptoms.
Injuries – An injury to the upper chest, ribs or back can cause an attack.
Roaches – Roach droppings and shed cockroach dander are known asthma triggers.
Medications – aspirin medications like ibuprofen and naproxen sodium cause asthma symptoms in people who are allergic or sensitive to aspirin.

Asthma Treatment Options

At ER of Texas Emergency Room, there are several methods that our ER doctors may use to treat your asthma symptoms, including asthma in children. These include:

Asthma CPAP Treatment: We may use a CPAP machine to gently move air through your lungs. The machine, which features a mask and a motor, may help to open up your airways while providing you with the oxygen your body needs in order to function. In some cases, you may need to use a CPAP machine at home in order to help control your asthma.
Ventilator Treatment: If your condition is severe, we may put you on a ventilator so that we can improve your lung function. This treatment will require you to wear a mask as a machine pumps air into and out of your lungs.
Nebulizer Treatment: A nebulizer is a machine that is used to administer medication, and it is often helpful for people who need larger doses of medicine for their asthma symptoms. The nebulizer transforms liquid medication into a mist so that you can inhale it through a mask. In addition to placing you on a nebulizer during your visit, we may write a prescription so that you can purchase a nebulizer to take home with you for future asthma attacks.

If you are having asthma emergency, please visit the closest ER immediately. Our board-certified medical doctors and other emegency medical professionals can treat your symptoms so that you can breathe easily once again.

Our ERs and walk-in clinics are open 24/7, and our board-certified doctors treat all minor and major medical emergencies.