Asthma and Airway Centre

Managing Asthma

How to Help Control an Asthma Attack/Episode

Usually warning signs that give you time to take action precedes an asthma attack. Be alert to your asthma symptoms so that you can take self-help action before your asthma is unstable. Common asthma symptoms are:

• chest tightness or discomfort
• awareness of your breathing
• wheezing
• coughing
• feeling of panic because you can't breathe freely
• waking during the night in need of your reliever inhaler or having asthma symptoms

If you start to have these symptoms, do not ignore them. Instead, follow these steps to help you control your breathing and relieve anxiety.

Medication: Take your inhaled bronchodilator (relief inhaler) to prevent the attack from getting worse.

Practice a relaxation technique: As your medicine goes to work, try to remain calm and relax. Although you may feel tense, anxious or afraid, remember that these feelings can make it harder to breathe.

• To help relax, sit upright in a chair or comfortable position, close your eyes and breathe slowly and evenly.
• Try tightening and relaxing the muscles in your body.
• Start to tighten the muscles in your face and count as slowly as you can from one to five. Be sure not to hold your breath.
• Then, relax these muscles and repeat with the muscles in your arms and hands, then legs and feet.
• Finally, let your body go limp.

Practice a breathing technique: Regain control of your breathing with the pursed-lip breathing technique.

• Try to remain calm and breathe in slowly through your nose.
• Hold your breath as you count from one to five.
• Next, purse your lips as if you were going to whistle.
• Breathe out slowly as you count in your mind from one to ten. You should make a soft, whistling sound as you breathe out.

Control Coughing Spells: If the attack triggers a coughing spell, you'll need to control your cough so that you can bring up mucus and help clear your airways.

• To do so, sit on a chair lean forward slightly (preferably sitting by a table so you can use this as your arm rest).
• Keeping your feet on the floor, breathe in deeply and hold that breath for a couple of seconds.
• Cough twice, first to loosen mucus, and then take a deep breath and cough.
• Drinking fluids or water may help loosen secretions.

No relief: If you have followed these steps but your attack still hasn't stopped or is getting worse, call your doctor or follow the Emergency Plan.

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