How can you tell if your asthma is getting worse. What are the key signs of worsening asthma symptoms. When should you contact your doctor about changes in your asthma. What steps can you take to better manage worsening asthma.

Understanding Asthma Progression and Its Impact

Asthma, a chronic lung condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, can gradually worsen over time. This progression may occur even when patients diligently follow their treatment plans and avoid known triggers. Understanding the signs of worsening asthma is crucial for maintaining control over the condition and preventing potentially life-threatening complications.

Dr. Sharon R. Rosenberg, co-director of the asthma and COPD program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, explains that prolonged exposure to irritants such as dust, pollen, mold, and pollution can exacerbate asthma symptoms. However, some individuals may experience a gradual decline in their condition without any apparent trigger exposure.

The Physiology Behind Worsening Asthma Symptoms

Dr. Guha Krishnaswamy, director of allergy and clinical immunology at Wake Forest Baptist, sheds light on the physiological changes that occur as asthma worsens:

• Increased inflammation in the airways over time
• Swelling of the mucus membranes
• Increased sensitivity of smooth muscles in the airways
• Production of thick mucus

These changes collectively contribute to the worsening of asthma symptoms, making it increasingly difficult for patients to breathe normally.

6 Key Indicators of Worsening Asthma

Recognizing the signs of deteriorating asthma is crucial for timely intervention and management. Here are six critical indicators that your asthma may be getting worse:

1. Increased Difficulty Breathing

Do you find yourself struggling to breathe during routine activities? If you’re experiencing shortness of breath while performing tasks that were previously manageable, such as carrying groceries from your car to the kitchen, it could be a sign that your asthma is worsening.

2. Declining Peak Flow Meter Readings

Peak flow meters provide an objective measurement of lung function for asthma patients. Dr. Krishnaswamy compares these devices to blood pressure cuffs for hypertension patients. Consistently lower readings on your peak flow meter may indicate a decline in your asthma control.

3. Exercise Limitations

Have you noticed a decrease in your exercise stamina or motivation? Difficulty breathing during physical activities or a sudden lack of enthusiasm for workouts you previously enjoyed could be red flags for worsening asthma.

4. Increased Reliance on Quick-Relief Inhalers

Are you reaching for your rescue inhaler more frequently? According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, if you need to use your quick-relief medicine more than twice a week, it’s a sign that your asthma is not under control.

5. Nighttime Asthma Attacks

Waking up in the middle of the night with coughing, wheezing, or the need to use your rescue inhaler is a clear indication of poorly controlled or worsening asthma. These nocturnal symptoms can significantly disrupt your sleep and overall quality of life.

6. Disruptions to Daily Routine

Is your asthma causing you to miss work or school regularly? While occasional flare-ups during high-stress periods are normal, frequent disruptions to your daily activities due to asthma symptoms suggest that your condition may be deteriorating.

Taking Action: What to Do When Asthma Worsens

If you’re experiencing any of the aforementioned signs of worsening asthma, it’s crucial to take prompt action. Here are some steps you should consider:

1. Contact your healthcare provider immediately
2. Review and update your asthma management plan
3. Discuss potential changes to your medication regimen
4. Develop an action plan for controlling flares and exacerbations

Dr. Rosenberg emphasizes the importance of working closely with your physician to ensure you’re on an appropriate asthma management regimen. This may involve adjusting medication types, dosages, or frequencies based on your current symptoms and overall condition.

The Importance of Consistent Asthma Management

Why is it crucial to maintain your asthma treatment regimen even when you’re feeling well? Dr. Krishnaswamy warns against the common mistake of easing up on controller medications and relying solely on rescue inhalers. For individuals with persistent asthma, consistent therapy is essential for long-term management and prevention of severe exacerbations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers sample asthma action plans online, which can be valuable tools for managing your condition effectively. These plans typically include guidelines for daily management, recognizing worsening symptoms, and steps to take during an asthma emergency.

Understanding Severe Asthma Attacks

While recognizing the signs of worsening asthma is crucial, it’s equally important to be aware of what constitutes a severe asthma attack. Severe attacks often share symptoms with milder episodes but are characterized by their intensity and potential life-threatening nature.

Common symptoms of a severe asthma attack include:

• Intense coughing
• Severe wheezing (both when inhaling and exhaling)
• Extreme shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Difficulty speaking due to breathlessness
• Bluish tint to lips or fingernails (cyanosis)

If you experience these symptoms, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention. Severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening if not treated promptly and effectively.

The Role of Environmental Factors in Asthma Progression

While individual responses to environmental triggers can vary, certain factors are known to contribute to the worsening of asthma symptoms over time. Understanding these factors can help you take proactive steps to minimize their impact:

Air Pollution

Long-term exposure to air pollutants, such as particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide, can lead to increased airway inflammation and exacerbate asthma symptoms. This is particularly relevant for individuals living in urban areas or regions with high industrial activity.

Occupational Exposures

Certain professions can expose individuals to substances that may worsen asthma over time. These include:

• Chemical fumes in manufacturing industries
• Dust in construction or woodworking
• Animal dander in veterinary or laboratory settings
• Cleaning products in janitorial work

If you suspect your work environment is contributing to your worsening asthma, it’s important to discuss this with your healthcare provider and explore potential solutions or workplace accommodations.

Climate Change

The global impact of climate change has implications for asthma management. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns can lead to:

• Extended pollen seasons
• Increased frequency of wildfires, resulting in poor air quality
• Higher levels of ground-level ozone

These factors can collectively contribute to the progression of asthma symptoms, making it increasingly important for patients to stay informed about air quality and take necessary precautions.

Innovative Approaches to Asthma Management

As our understanding of asthma continues to evolve, new approaches to management and treatment are emerging. These innovative strategies may offer hope for individuals experiencing worsening asthma symptoms:

Biologics

Biologic therapies target specific pathways in the immune system that contribute to asthma symptoms. These treatments can be particularly beneficial for patients with severe or difficult-to-control asthma. Examples include:

• Anti-IgE therapy (e.g., omalizumab)
• Anti-IL-5 therapies (e.g., mepolizumab, reslizumab)
• Anti-IL-4/IL-13 therapy (e.g., dupilumab)

While these treatments can be highly effective, they are typically reserved for patients who do not respond adequately to standard asthma medications.

Digital Health Tools

The integration of technology in asthma management is opening new avenues for monitoring and controlling symptoms. Some promising developments include:

• Smart inhalers that track medication use and provide reminders
• Mobile apps for recording symptoms and triggers
• Wearable devices that monitor respiratory patterns

These tools can provide valuable data to both patients and healthcare providers, enabling more personalized and proactive asthma management strategies.

Bronchial Thermoplasty

For some patients with severe, persistent asthma, bronchial thermoplasty may be an option. This procedure involves the application of controlled heat to reduce the smooth muscle in the airways, potentially decreasing their ability to constrict. While not suitable for all patients, it can provide significant relief for those who qualify.

The Psychological Impact of Worsening Asthma

As asthma symptoms progress, the psychological toll on patients can be significant. Understanding and addressing these mental health aspects is crucial for comprehensive asthma management:

Anxiety and Depression

The fear of experiencing severe asthma attacks can lead to anxiety, while the limitations imposed by worsening symptoms may contribute to depression. These mental health issues can, in turn, exacerbate asthma symptoms, creating a challenging cycle.

Social Isolation

As asthma symptoms worsen, some individuals may find themselves withdrawing from social activities, either due to physical limitations or fear of triggering an attack in public. This isolation can further impact mental well-being and quality of life.

Stress Management

Developing effective stress management techniques is crucial for individuals with worsening asthma. Stress can be both a trigger for asthma symptoms and a consequence of living with a chronic condition. Some helpful strategies include:

• Mindfulness meditation
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Regular exercise (as tolerated and approved by a healthcare provider)
• Counseling or support groups

Addressing these psychological aspects in conjunction with medical management can lead to improved overall outcomes for individuals with worsening asthma.

The Importance of a Multidisciplinary Approach

As asthma symptoms progress, the complexity of management often increases. A multidisciplinary approach can provide comprehensive care and address various aspects of the condition:

Pulmonologists

Specialists in lung health can offer advanced diagnostic tests and treatments, particularly for patients with severe or difficult-to-control asthma.

Allergists

Given the strong link between allergies and asthma, allergists can help identify and manage triggers that may be contributing to worsening symptoms.

Respiratory Therapists

These professionals can provide education on proper inhaler technique, breathing exercises, and other strategies to manage symptoms effectively.

Nutritionists

Some dietary factors may influence asthma symptoms. A nutritionist can help develop an eating plan that supports overall lung health and weight management, which can impact asthma control.

Mental Health Professionals

As discussed earlier, the psychological impact of worsening asthma can be significant. Mental health professionals can provide valuable support and coping strategies.

By working with a team of healthcare providers, individuals with worsening asthma can develop a comprehensive management plan that addresses all aspects of their condition, potentially slowing the progression of symptoms and improving quality of life.

6 Signs Your Asthma Is Worsening

Over time, asthma often progresses. Knowing the signs of worsening asthma is the first step to getting your condition under control.

By Elizabeth Shimer BowersMedically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Reviewed: October 10, 2014

Medically Reviewed

If you have asthma, you know an attack can come on suddenly, literally taking your breath away. But asthma, a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways, can also gradually exacerbate over time — even if you’re avoiding triggers, following your treatment plan, and doing everything you’re supposed to do.

“A number of factors can worsen asthma, including prolonged exposure to dust, pollen, mold, pollution, and other irritants in the air,” says Sharon R. Rosenberg, MD, co-director of the asthma and COPD program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

But for some people, asthma gradually worsens without any exposure to triggers. Symptoms get worse as inflammation builds over time, explains Guha Krishnaswamy, MD, director of allergy and clinical immunology at Wake Forest Baptist. “The mucus membranes become more swollen, smooth muscle becomes a little twitchier, and the airways produce thick mucus,” he says. These changes lead to worsening asthma symptoms.

Anyone who has asthma needs to be on the lookout for signs that the condition is getting worse. The reason is simple: Uncontrolled asthma can be a severe, life-threatening disease.

Signs of Worsening Asthma

Here are six signs your asthma may be getting worse:

1. Increased difficulty breathing.

“You may notice more shortness of breath during normal activities,” Dr. Krishnaswamy says. For example, if you used to be able to carry a grocery bag from your car to your kitchen with ease and now you are huffing and puffing, that could be a sign of worsening asthma.

2. A drop in peak flow meter readings.

“For people with asthma, a peak flow meter is like a blood pressure cuff for people with high blood pressure — it gives you an objective measurement of your condition,” Krishnaswamy says. Chronically lower peak flow meter readings can indicate that your asthma is getting worse.

3. Exercise limitations.

If you’re lacking the motivation you used to have for working out, or you’re experiencing decreased stamina or trouble breathing during exercise, your asthma may be getting worse.

4. Using a quick-relief inhaler more often.

“I saw this happen with my own mother,” Krishnaswamy says. “She was breathless and needing to use her rescue inhaler more and more frequently.” If you need to use quick-relief medicine more than twice a week, your asthma isn’t under control, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

5. Waking up at night with coughing or wheezing.

“Attacks at nighttime that wake you up at 2 in the morning with coughing and wheezing and reaching for your rescue inhaler are a sign your asthma is poorly controlled or getting worse,” Krishnaswamy says.

6. Having to disrupt your normal routine because of asthma.

During times of high stress, you might experience a flare that causes you to miss school or work. “Maybe you’re having a stressful morning — your child is sick — and your asthma worsens, then it quickly reverses once the stress has passed,” Krishnaswamy says. But if your asthma symptoms are keeping you home from work or school on a regular basis, the condition is likely getting worse.

What to Do If Your Asthma Is Getting Worse

If you experience any of these symptoms of worsening asthma, call your doctor so he or she can make changes to your asthma management plan. “Your physician will make sure you are on an appropriate asthma management regimen and give you the right rescue medications to use when your symptoms get worse,” Dr. Rosenberg says. He or she may also change your medication types, dosages, or frequencies, as needed.

In addition, everyone with asthma should have an action plan for controlling flares and exacerbations, she says. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers sample asthma action plans online.

Remember, if you have chronic asthma, it’s important to stick to your treatment regimen, no matter how good you feel. “Too often, people will ease up on their controller medications and use their rescue inhaler instead,” Krishnaswamy says. “But if you have persistent asthma, you need persistent therapy.”

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8 Signs Your Asthma Is Getting Worse

If you’re experiencing asthma symptoms regularly or your symptoms are getting worse despite treatment, you may need a more effective treatment method.

Severe asthma is often harder to control than mild to moderate asthma. It may require higher dosages and more frequent use of asthma medications. If you’re not managing it properly, severe asthma can be dangerous and even life threatening in some cases.

It’s important that you’re able to recognize when your condition isn’t properly managed. Doing so can help you take steps to find a more effective method of treatment.

Here are eight signs that your severe asthma is getting worse and what to do next.

If you’ve been having to use your quick-relief inhaler more often than usual, or you’ve started to feel like it doesn’t help as much when you do use it, your severe asthma may be getting worse.

It can be hard sometimes to keep track of exactly how many times you use your inhaler during a given week. If you suspect your usage is increasing, you may want to start keeping track in a journal or in a note-taking app on your phone.

Keeping a log of your inhaler usage can also help to identify what may be triggering your severe asthma symptoms. For example, if you mainly use your inhaler after being outdoors, an environmental trigger like pollen may be causing your asthma to flare up.

Another sign that your severe asthma may be getting worse is if you’re coughing or wheezing more often than usual.

Talk with your doctor about adjusting your treatment plan if you constantly feel like you’re about to cough. Also speak with them if you find yourself wheezing with a whistle-like sound more than once a day.

If you’re ever jolted awake in the middle of the night by a fit of coughing or wheezing, you may need to modify your asthma management plan.

Properly managed asthma shouldn’t wake you up from sleep more than 1 or 2 nights a month. If you’re losing sleep due to your symptoms more than this, it may be time to discuss treatment modifications with your doctor.

Your peak flow readings measure how well your lungs are functioning at their best. This is usually tested at home with a handheld device called a peak flow meter.

If you’re a peak flow meter user, and your peak flow levels drop below 80 percent of your personal best, it may be a sign that your severe asthma is poorly managed.

Another sign that your asthma is getting worse is if your peak flow reading varies greatly from day to day. If you notice low or inconsistent numbers, contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Another sign that your asthma is getting worse is if you start to feel out of breath even when you’re not doing anything strenuous.

It’s normal to feel winded after exercising or climbing more stairs than you’re used to. But stationary activities like standing, sitting, or lying down shouldn’t cause you to lose your breath.

Minor chest tightness is common for people with asthma. But frequent and intense chest tightness can mean your severe asthma is getting worse.

Chest tightness is often the result of the muscles surrounding your airways contracting in reaction to asthma triggers. It may feel as though there’s something squeezing or sitting on top of your chest. If you experience unusually intense chest tightness, particularly while sitting still, speak with your doctor.

If you find it difficult to speak a full sentence without pausing to take a breath, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Trouble speaking is usually the result of an inability to take enough air into your lungs to allow you to let it out at the slow, deliberate rate required for speech.

You may notice that you’re unable to keep up with any type of physical activity if your severe asthma symptoms are getting worse.

Talk with your doctor if you find yourself coughing or using your inhaler more often at the gym or during activities like jogging or playing sports.

If your chest tightens more often during everyday physical activities like climbing the stairs or walking around the block, you may need to change your medications to get your symptoms under control.

Am I having an asthma attack?

The signs of worsening asthma can be uncomfortable but should still be easy enough to manage until you’re able to see a doctor.

If you experience a more sudden and severe onset of symptoms that deviate from your normal symptoms, you may be having an asthma attack or exacerbation. This can include extreme difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, cough, and shortness of breath, among other symptoms.

If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of an asthma emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency department.

Was this helpful?

If you think that your severe asthma is getting worse, the first thing you should do is make an appointment to see your doctor. Before your appointment, write down a list of the symptoms you’ve been experiencing and bring it with you to review together.

Your doctor will likely listen to your chest and check your peak flow levels to see how they compare with your previous readings. They may also ask you about your routine for taking your asthma medication. Plus, they may check to make sure you’re using the proper technique with your inhaler.

If you’ve been using your inhaler properly and still experience severe symptoms, your doctor may change your treatment plan. They may increase the dose of your inhaler or prescribe an add-on treatment like a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) tablet or biologic therapy.

In some cases, your doctor may also prescribe a short “rescue” course of oral steroid tablets. These can reduce the amount of inflammation in your airways.

If your doctor does change the dosage of your current medication or prescribe an add-on treatment, consider scheduling a follow-up appointment in 4 to 8 weeks to ensure that your new treatment plan is working.

It’s important to be able to spot the warning signs that your severe asthma is getting worse. This is a vital part of managing your symptoms and may help to prevent a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.

Do your best to avoid your asthma triggers, and don’t be afraid to contact your doctor if you think your current treatment isn’t working as well as it should be.

Asthma exacerbation

Asthma exacerbations are episodes of progressive worsening characterized by coughing, wheezing, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, difficult breathing, weakness, tachycardia.

The causes of exacerbations are usually the ineffectiveness of the basic treatment or the impact of adverse factors. For any form of asthma other than very mild intermittent, inhaled glucocorticoids should be taken continuously daily until remission is achieved.

The dose of anti-inflammatory drugs should be selected by a doctor depending on the severity of asthma, the goal of treatment is to achieve a stable remission with minimal asthma symptoms and a qualitatively full life of the patient. If asthma treatment is chosen incorrectly, the doses of basic anti-inflammatory drugs are insufficient, or the patient inaccurately follows the doctor’s recommendations, independently reducing the doses of drugs or using the inhaler incorrectly, then stable remission will not be achieved, there is a threat of frequent exacerbations.

The following factors can provoke a worsening of asthma:

1. exposure to an allergen,
2. infection: viral or bacterial;
3. taking certain medications:
4. inhalation of chemicals that irritate the respiratory tract;
5. physical activity;
6. meteorological factors,
7. nervous stress.

Deterioration usually worsens over hours or days. Patients should know how to recognize an incipient exacerbation in order to consult a doctor in time and begin treatment. Symptoms of early exacerbation are: deterioration in sleep, irritability, decreased tolerance to physical exertion, the appearance of a cough, a feeling of heaviness in the chest. An important symptom of an incipient exacerbation is the appearance or increase in nocturnal asthma attacks, which indicates an increase in inflammatory changes in the bronchi. An important sign of deterioration is also an increase in the dose of inhaled bronchodilators. In some patients whose exacerbation is caused by the addition of an infection, signs of exacerbation may be an increase in the amount of sputum and a change in its color to yellow.

If the patient has a peak flow meter and regularly measures his/her bronchial patency – the peak exit rate, then it is possible to record a decrease in PEF below its individual norm, indicating the onset of an exacerbation of the disease. Here you can remind patients about the “zone system” and adequate correction of treatment.
“Yellow zone” means that an exacerbation may occur and you need to see a doctor to correct the treatment. The “red zone” indicates a more serious condition, this is an alarm signal. Frequent hitting the “yellow zone”, or getting into the “red zone” indicates the ineffectiveness of treatment in the “green zone”. After the exacerbation is eliminated, it is necessary
review the plan for basic drug treatment, as well as environmental control measures. Treatment of an exacerbation should be started as early as possible, under the supervision of a physician, and with regular examination of bronchial patency.

It is necessary to start treatment with an increase in the dose of the basic drug with preliminary inhalation of sympathetic agents. With insufficient effectiveness of such treatment, the doctor decides on the appointment of theophylline drugs.

If there is no improvement, the doctor prescribes tableted glucocorticoids or refers the patient to a hospital. If the patient has a severe course of asthma, and he constantly takes tableted glucocorticoids, then during the period of exacerbation their dose should be increased.

Causes of attacks in patients with asthma are not completely clear, these are the activation of the inflammatory process at night, the accumulation of sputum in the distal bronchi, increased vagal tone at night, and contact with an allergen. The most common allergen – house dust – contains the remains of insects, bacteria, fungi, food remains, human and animal dander, as well as an important component – the house mite, which is the main allergen. Carpets, upholstered furniture, woolen things, pillow feathers contain a large number of mites. Studies have shown that adults and children with mild asthma improve after contact with house dust children is stopped.

The following rules should be followed to reduce the allergic reaction of an asthma patient:

• pack mattresses and pillows in allergen-impervious materials.
• bedding should be washed weekly at 55°C;
• During the day, the bed should be covered with a blanket so that dust does not accumulate on the bed.
• do not sleep on upholstered furniture;
• Carpets must be removed from walls and floors;
• reduce the humidity in the room to less than 50%;
• the bedroom should have a minimum of furniture and no bookshelves
• Curtains should be of light material and washed frequently;
• Clothes should be put away in the closet and closet doors should be tightly closed.
• it is necessary to carry out frequent wet cleaning in the bedroom, incl. and under the bed
• dust should be washed with a damp soft cloth that collects but does not disperse dust in the air;
• do not store children’s toys in the bedroom;
• Pets are not allowed in the bedroom.

For the prevention of nocturnal attacks, it is recommended to inhale an inhaled glucocoticoid at bedtime, if necessary in combination with a sympathomimetic.

Patients who have a large amount of sputum are recommended to inhale a bronchodilator before going to bed, then after 15-20 minutes, an expectorant solution should be inhaled using an ultrasonic home inhaler. It can be physiological saline, alkaline mineral water, 2% soda solution, etc. After that, take a drainage position and cough.

A patient with asthma who suffers from nocturnal attacks of suffocation should have a thermos filled with hot water or an infusion of expectorant herbs on the bedside table. Hot drinks with expectorants often help to stop an attack. With a more severe attack, you need to inhale a sympathomimetic. The patient should stand up, leaning on a chair (table, wall, etc.), breathing should be shallow with a prolonged exhalation. If the attack does not stop, you need to call an ambulance.

General practitioner ME “Zelvenskaya CRH”

Zhanna Nikolaevna Kukhta

Bronchial asthma: how to protect yourself from exacerbations

With the onset of cold weather, people suffering from bronchial asthma have new concerns: frosty air, a cold can provoke an exacerbation of the disease and complicate life. But x the cold season is not a reason to get upset if you know how to protect yourself, says Irina Vladimirovna Demko, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine No. 2 of the Krasnoyarsk State Medical University.

Bronchial asthma by its nature is a variable disease, as we say – variable. Symptoms can come and go, even without treatment, exacerbations develop both rapidly and gradually. As a rule, this is due to the individual characteristics of the patient and the factors that cause the onset of the disease and exacerbations. At the same time, most patients can respond to the change of seasons.

Seasonal variability is so characteristic of bronchial asthma that a doctor, after evaluating complaints and symptoms, may suspect this disease without even resorting to additional research methods. Spring greets us with mudslides, melting snow exposes last year’s foliage, and this is a favorite environment for the growth of mold fungi, then – rapid flowering, causing trouble for people suffering from spring pollinosis – an allergy to tree pollen. Summer comes, and with it comes heat, stuffiness, the pollen of flowering grasses literally hangs in the air, and those who are irritated by this pollen are no longer up to summer joys. Autumn is a time of rains, sudden changes in temperature, wet feet and rotting leaves. Finally, winter hides autumn dirt under the snow, but brings with it cold, snow, and viral infections. And more and more often you hear “In the summer I feel fine, but as soon as it gets colder…”. And for the ability to maintain control over asthma, you should take into account the characteristics of each season.

What features of the upcoming season should asthma sufferers take into account? First of all, it is cold air. One of the characteristic features of asthma is bronchial hyperreactivity, i.e. increased sensitivity. The bronchi of an asthmatic react violently to factors that are practically indifferent to the bronchi of a healthy person, among them are not only allergens, but also non-specific irritants – physical activity, strong odors, atmospheric pollution and, of course, cold air. The bronchi “consider” these factors as foreign and aggressive and rush to defend themselves, narrow, and a spasm of the bronchi occurs.

Especially often cold bronchospasm occurs when leaving a warm room outside. To minimize the likelihood of an asthma attack before contact with irritants, including cold air, inhalation of bronchodilator drugs, which are known to have protective properties, will allow. Such preventive inhalation should be done 20-30 minutes before going out into the cold.

It should be remembered that the decision to use any drug can only be made by a doctor. A strong reaction to nonspecific stimuli, including cold air, usually indicates an insufficient volume of planned treatment. But cold bronchospasm can also occur with initially good asthma control, for example, after a viral infection or exposure to an allergen. In some people, the reaction to the inhalation of cold air is a permanent individual feature and is often observed with an increased tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. There is even a special variant of asthma – cholinergic asthma. In such cases, for the prevention of cold bronchospasm, anticholinergics are recommended – drugs that expand the bronchi due to the action on the parasympathetic nervous system.

The second serious danger that awaits asthmatics in autumn and winter is acute respiratory viral infections, including influenza. It is at this time of the year that the peak incidence of viral infections occurs, and even people who are healthy in all respects, suffer from ARVI once or twice a year. For an asthmatic, such an infection is not just a minor nuisance, but a huge risk of exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Moreover, any, even the most insignificant cold, can cause an exacerbation: respiratory viruses affect the nervous regulation of bronchial tone, increasing their readiness for spasm.

The likelihood of a cold is largely dependent on the state of the organism. Therefore, you need to take care of immunity. The best prevention against colds, especially for children, is hardening. You should start by rubbing the body with a towel moistened with cold water; swimming and walking are very effective. Viruses are afraid of the so-called phytoncides, which are onions and garlic. To protect yourself during a flu epidemic, in October-November, you need to be vaccinated against the influenza virus or pneumococcus. And if you didn’t have time or there are contraindications, then your doctor may recommend other methods of vaccination.

If, despite all the measures taken, you feel unwell, you should immediately consult a doctor and follow the treatment prescribed by the doctor.

Asthmatics should not experiment with medicines that relieve the general condition of a cold and lower the temperature. For example, not everyone can take aspirin; in some people, it can cause choking. In such patients, paracetamol is recommended as a means to reduce temperature. An adverse reaction may also follow after taking other painkillers and antipyretics: analgin, volteran, indomethacin, orthophene, etc. For people who are sensitive to aspirin, tablets and capsules coated with colored shells are also unsafe. Such shells contain the dye tartrazine, which has a similar shape to aspirin. With extreme caution and in extreme cases, doctors prescribe antibiotics to people suffering from bronchial asthma, and before prescribing, they must test for the medicine.

To cope with a cold, people often resort to herbal inhalations. Patients with bronchial asthma who are allergic to plant pollen should not do this, as it can aggravate the exacerbation of asthma. Secondly, hot steam can damage the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and even cause burns.

In case of asthma exacerbation, when urgent help is required, the use of habitual inhalers, even with a spacer, may not be effective enough, since the medicines from them do not penetrate well into the narrowed bronchi. The most effective ambulance is provided by nebulizers – modern inhalers that convert liquid medicine into very small particles, the so-called aerosol. Medicinal aerosol is evenly distributed in the upper and lower respiratory tract, providing a quickly desired bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effect. Inhalation occurs with calm breathing for several minutes.

Many bronchodilators are now available not only as pocket inhalers, but also as nebulizer solutions.