Signs of asthma in an adult

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Asthma is a serious illness whose seizures often require urgent medical attention. Despite the fact that the most commonly talked about the bronchial form, there is also cardiac asthma. Various factors can provoke them, depending on this, the course of first aid and treatment is determined. It is worth knowing about the main signs of asthma in an adult, to immediately understand when you need help from a doctor.

Features of the disease

Bronchial asthma is called a chronic disease,provoke attacks which can various factors from emotional and physical overwork to irritating allergens that provoke the development of inflammationprocess. Allergic asthma is the most common form of this disease. It is worth noting that the inflammatory process in the bronchi in this disease is not infectious in nature.

Cardiac asthma is a completely different condition with other causes and consequences, although the symptomatology is very similar. In cardiac asthma, an attack is provoked by a disturbance in the heart, resulting in pulmonary edema, which leads to the appearance of dyspnea and suffocation. This disease is usually not chronic, the attack is usually single, it indicates the development of heart pathologies. Most often, cardiac asthma occurs in the elderly.

In the heart form and bronchial symptoms can be extremely similar, therefore, when they appear, it is important to seek qualified help as soon as possible, especially if the attack occurs for the first time, a person is not aware of the presence of a disease. Distinguish different forms of the disease can be exclusively in the process of diagnosis.

First aid, a technique for relieving seizures and further treatment for chronic conditions depends on the type of asthma and the causes of its occurrence. In bronchial asthma of an allergic nature, usually a therapy is needed to help cope with the symptoms of allergies, and limiting contact with allergens so that the occurrence of seizures is not provoked by anything else.

Important! The occurrence of bronchial asthma is often preceded by a prolonged allergic cough and other manifestations of allergy.

Signs of bronchial asthma in an adult

Bronchial asthma always proceeds in a chronic form, the person usually recognizes the presence of this disease after the first attack. There can be a disease for many reasons, including a hereditary factor. The frequency of occurrence in men and women is approximately the same.

It should be noted that the attack usually takes place without temperature. It can last for several minutes to an hour, depending on the characteristics of the course of the disease. Without the necessary care, it can lead to serious consequences for the body. At the very beginning of the disease, asthmatic attacks occur quite often. Over time, they become much rarer, but at the same time they become difficult to stop.

The attack of bronchial asthma is often preceded by contact with allergens. The most common irritants, which can cause deterioration and cause an attack, include dust, animal hair, strong strong smells, pollen of flowers. Allergic asthma exacerbations can occur seasonally, for example, during flowering plants in late spring.

Harvesting precursors

Allocate a group of symptoms that occur a couple of hours before the onset of the attack of the disease. It is necessary to pay attention to them in order to avoid aggravation and development of complications:

• constant sneezing, severe cough, usually dry;
• occurrence of pain, sore throat;
• occurrence of a severe cold with abundant watery discharge from the nose, it is accompanied by a severe headache.

If the disease is non-allergic in nature, there may not be a copious rhinitis, however, a strong feeling of fatigue, nausea may appear. If the attack occurs at night, there may be insomnia, inability to sleep, coughing and shortness of breath when going to bed.

When such first signs of asthma appear, it is worth taking action in advance, especially if asthma attacks have already occurred. After these signs begin to increase symptoms of the most asthmatic exacerbation in the cough form. Usually, with an attack, the following symptoms occur:

1. Shortness of breath, sensation of suffocation. This symptom is one of the first signs of a beginning asthmatic exacerbation. Occurs after physical exertion, contact with allergens. If he appears in the middle of the night, a person awakens from suffocation. In some people, the onset of an attack can cause stress.
2. Cough. Occurs simultaneously with shortness of breath, suffocation. The cough is quite heavy, dry in nature. According to the sensations, it can resemble the presence of a foreign body. In some cases, with the development of an attack, it can become wet, sputum appears.
3. Breathing becomes superficial, breathing out. When asthma occurs not only a feeling of suffocation, often patients note that exhalation is also difficult.
4. When breathing in and out, there are quite pronounced loud rales. It is worth noting that this symptom is more characteristic for the bronchial form.
5. During an attack it becomes difficult to be in a lying position. The patient tries to get up or sit down. Most often, the following picture is observed: the patient sits on the edge of a bed or a chair, hanging his legs down, clinging tightly to the edge.

In case of such a symptomatology, it is necessary to call an "ambulance" and provide a person with an attack with support. It is advised to remove all tight, fettering garments, it is necessary to get rid of tight jewelry, tie, brassiere. The window in the room should be opened, the inflow of fresh air is important to the patient.

Important! You should not give a person with a seizure similar to asthmatic, any drugs, unless otherwise authorized by the attending physician.

If an attack occurs not for the first time, it is likely that an inhaler has already been discharged to the person, which helps to relieve the aggravation of the inflammatory disease. You should help a person with asthma use it.

Such are the signs of allergic asthma and other varieties of the disease in bronchial form. If the disease manifests itself for the first time, diagnostics is necessary, it is important to clarify the exact cause of seizures.

Symptoms of cardiac asthma

Cardiac asthma is extremely similar in symptoms, but its nature is very different from the nature of the bronchial form. Shortness of breath and choking occur because of a malfunction of the heart, resulting in the vessels of the lungs accumulating too much blood, there is swelling. In this case, there is a possibility of a lethal outcome.

Therefore, if an attack of suffocation occurs at night, with allergies never occurred, there are no asthmatics in the family, it should be called as soon as possible to call an ambulance. There is a high probability that this condition speaks about heart disease. Especially if before that, there were already irregularities in the rhythm and other symptoms of cardiac pathologies.

To which doctor to contact

Usually when asthmatic exacerbation cause an "ambulance", immediately carry out the necessary diagnosis, stop the attack and advise to undergo further treatment depending on the cause.

If asthma occurs on the background of an allergy, you should consult a doctor - an otolaryngologist or an allergist. When cardiac asthma should be consulted with a cardiologist. If there is any doubt about the correctness of the choice, for the first treatment you can choose a therapist.

Diagnostics

Various methods are used for diagnostics. Usually you need to see a doctor - an otolaryngologist, an ECG, an allergist consultation. Also, they take necessary tests, blood testing is always required. Other examinations can be prescribed depending on the features of the course of the disease.

How to treat asthma

Treatment of this disease depends on the causes. At an allergic asthma find out, what allergen provokes exacerbations, appoint or nominate therapy by antihistamine preparations, inhalers which help or assist to stop attacks.

With cardiac asthma, it is important to identify cardiac pathology that provokes seizures, and begin treatment. In general, it is worth considering that the heart form is considered much more dangerous than the bronchial form.