What's a Flare-Up?
If you have asthma, you probably know about
flare-ups
. That's when your asthma symptoms get worse. During a
flare-up, you might have:
- trouble breathing
- a tight or painful feeling in the chest
- a whistling sound when you breathe (
wheezing
)
- a cough
Flare-ups happen because the
airways
in your lungs have become more irritated and swollen (puffy) than
usual. The lungs may make sticky mucus, which clogs the airways.
And the muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways
really narrow. These troubles in the lungs make it tough to pull
air in and push air out.
You can learn to handle asthma flare-ups. Here are three ways to
be prepared:
- Learn how spot clues that mean you're likely to have a
flare-up.
- Have a plan for how you will deal with a flare-up, no matter
where you are (home, school, a friend's house, or on
vacation).
- Find out how to prevent future flare-ups by taking your
controller medicine
and avoiding
triggers
.
Spot the Clues
After you've had a few flare-ups, you may notice that you
feel a certain way when a flare-up is coming on. You might have a
tight chest, an itchy throat, or a tired feeling. Or do you have a
cough, even though you don't have a cold? If you have a
peak flow meter
, this might be a good time to use it.
Have a Plan
Get help if you feel like a flare-up is about to happen. Let
people around you know what's going on, and then remember your
asthma action plan
. That's the written plan created with your doctor that tells
you which medicine to take and what to do next. Don't ignore
the flare-up or hope it will go away on its own. It won't and
you might end up in the
emergency room
.
Prevent Flare-Ups
Asthma flare-ups can be handled, but it's even better if you
can prevent them from happening. One way to do that is to avoid
triggers. We're not talking about triggers on guns! Many kids
who have asthma also have allergies, so common triggers include
things that cause allergies. Some of these are pets, dust mites
(little bugs that live in dust), mold, or cockroaches.
Other triggers do not cause allergies, but they simply irritate
the airways. These include tobacco smoke, cold air, exercise, and
infections, such as colds. If you try to avoid your triggers, you
may sometimes be able to prevent asthma flare-ups.
If your doctor prescribed controller medicine for you, taking it
as directed is another important way to prevent flare-ups.
Controller medicine needs to be taken regularly, even on days when
you feel fine.
Some flare-ups are serious, but others are mild. Flare-ups can
happen suddenly, but can also build up over time, especially in
kids who aren't taking the asthma medicine they need. You
won't be able to stop all flare-ups, so do your best to be
prepared for one.
Reviewed by:
Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: April 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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