The One Symptom Pulmonologists Are Begging Anyone With Asthma Not To Ignore

Bobbi Dempsey

Sat, August 31, 2024 at 9:25 PM UTC

5 min read

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The ability to breathe properly is essential for everyone but is especially critical for people with asthma. An asthma attack can be a life-threatening situation, and asthma also puts you at a greater risk for other serious conditions. That’s why people with asthma need to be alert when it comes to breathing-related symptoms and take quick action if they experience any issues that may be cause for concern.

Here's one symptom medical experts want those with asthma to be aware of—and others that may also be cause for concern.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes narrowing and swelling of the airways. “When someone has asthma, the airways in their lungs are extra sensitive to different environmental triggers,” says Dr. Sophie Vergnaud, MD, Senior Medical Director of GoodRx Health.

“These triggers can cause the airways to become inflamed, narrow, and filled with mucus,” says Dr. Vergnaud. “This makes it difficult for the lungs to do their job: getting air into the lungs to oxygenate blood and getting deoxygenated air out.”

Dr. Vergnaud explains that tight, swollen airways cause symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough, saying, “People with asthma can also be more prone to chest infections, which can quickly get worse, and also make asthma symptoms worse."

One Symptom Pulmonologists Say You Should Never Ignore if You Have Asthma

One symptom that warrants an urgent response for those with asthma, according to pulmonologists, is the inability to breathe deeply or the feeling like you are running out of air. “The sensation of shortness of breath needs to be immediately treated,” stresses Dr. Daniel Evans, MD, division chief of pulmonology at Dayton Children's Hospital.

Shortness of breath can be caused by a variety of medical conditions—some of which are unrelated to asthma—but should always prompt you to seek medical advice. In severe cases, you should call for emergency help. “If someone is so short of breath that they can't speak or walk even a few steps, they need to call 911 immediately, no matter the ultimate cause,” says Dr. Steven Davis, MD, Associate Professor at Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.

Other Symptoms People With Asthma Shouldn’t Ignore

Dr. Evans says there are other symptoms people with asthma should watch for as well. These include:

Coughing at night while asleep. “This can be a sign of poorly controlled asthma,” he says.
Cough or chest tightness that limits activities.
Too frequent use of an Albuterol inhaler to control their asthma symptoms. “If a person is needing their Albuterol inhaler more than twice a week to treat their asthma symptoms, they need to see their doctor for an adjustment in their asthma treatment,” Dr, Evans says.

Asthma—and the serious conditions related to it—can affect everyone differently, so those with asthma need to be alert for anything unusual for them.

“For most patients, any change in their respiratory condition—shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing—could be a cause for concern, as any of these may represent a change in their lung function signaling that asthma is getting worse,” says Dr. Davis. “Likewise, a change in their normal ability to do things is concerning. For example, if someone can typically walk two blocks without shortness of breath but now can only go half a block before stopping, that's a problem."

Why an Asthma Attack Can Be a Medical Emergency

The symptoms mentioned above are among those that people with asthma may experience as part of an asthma attack. “This is when asthma symptoms get worse over a short period,” says Dr. Vergnaud, noting that asthma attacks can come on suddenly (over a few hours) or gradually (over a few days).

“Severe asthma attacks need emergency medical treatment,” explains Dr. Vergnaud. “In an asthma attack, the airways tighten, restricting the amount of air you can breathe in and out. A person having an asthma attack has to work really hard to keep getting enough air in and out of their lungs. Without treatment, they can get tired very fast and stop breathing. An asthma attack can also put a lot of pressure on the heart and cause the heart to stop working.”

Medical experts stress that those with asthma must know how they should respond in certain situations involving their breathing or general health. “Most patients with a diagnosis of asthma should have an action plan outlining the appropriate responses that are to be taken in these situations,” says Dr. Evans. “This would be the use of inhaled bronchodilators, such as Albuterol. If the shortness of breath does not respond to the administration of Albuterol as prescribed by their physician or they do not have Albuterol and are still experiencing shortness of breath, they need to seek medical attention immediately.”

How People With Asthma Can Help Protect Their Pulmonary Health

The main thing that people with asthma can do to protect their pulmonary health (and support their well-being in general) is to be diligent about taking their medications and getting routine evaluations.

“By far, the most important thing people can do is take their asthma medicine,” says Dr. Davis, noting that asthma medicines fall into two categories—rescue medications and controller medications. “Controller medications are designed to take every day, no matter whether you feel good or bad, and work to keep lung function stable—to prevent worsening. Rescue medications are not a substitute for controllers and should only be used during periods of worsening.”

Dr. Davis explains that when asthma is well controlled, it may be possible to decrease the controller medication, but this should only be done in consultation with a healthcare provider and “never simply because asthma hasn't flared in a while and the patient is feeling good.”

According to Dr. Evans, it’s important for people with asthma to learn to identify their triggers and know how to avoid or mitigate them. Also, if they are having frequent asthma attacks or need to limit their activities despite following an asthma treatment plan, they should consider seeing an allergist or pulmonologist who specializes in treating asthma.

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Sources:

Dr. Sophie Vergnaud, MD, Senior Medical Director of GoodRx Health
Dr. Daniel Evans, MD, division chief of pulmonology at Dayton Children's Hospital
Dr. Steven Davis, MD, Associate Professor at Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University

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