Asthma Attack and No Inhaler

Asthma as we all know is a chronic lung disease which is more commonly seen in children than in adults. It is a condition wherein the airways of the lungs become narrow which causes difficulty in breathing in and out. The condition prevails in people having weak immune system, suffering viral respiratory infections, or are allergic to allergens like dust, pollens, dust mites, animal fur, molds, pollution, etc. During the asthma attack, the smooth muscles of the bronchi in the lungs contract, which makes the airways narrow and thus causing the tissues lining these airways swell from inflammation and mucus secretion.

Asthma attack symptoms mainly include breathing problems, wheezing (a whistling sound on breathing), shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing. This was just a brief insight about asthma attack, now before moving on to remedies for asthma attack, no inhaler, let us first have a brief idea about inhalers and how they work.

However, there are various asthma attack medications available nowadays that can help calm the attack, and one such rescue medication is inhaler, a small hand held device containing bronchodilators (a drug that relaxes and dilates the bronchial passageways and improves the passages of air into the lungs). The inhaler for asthma calms the attack by relaxing the smooth muscles in the airways which enables the patient to breathe easily and helps reduce the symptoms within a few minutes. But in situations when one doesn't have an inhaler around or even after using it the symptoms do not subside, the person may get extremely frightened and helpless.

Asthma Attack, No Inhaler: What To Do

The first step in dealing with an asthma attack with no inhaler is the earliest detection of initial symptoms before full blown attack of the symptoms takes place. If your doctor has already given you asthma action plan after monitoring your condition, follow the plan as early as possible to curb the early attack symptoms, else try these effective asthma attack remedies that will help to calm asthma attack symptoms without using an inhaler.

• First and foremost remove all items around that may trigger the attack like dust or animal dander. As far as possible try to keep the place clean and ventilated.
• Make the patient sit upright or any position wherein the patient feels most comfortable and avoid holding him/her too tightly. In case, if the patient is wearing tight clothes loosen them as this can interrupt with the normal breathing.
• Since the asthma makes the patient breath faster and deeply due to insufficient supply of air to the lungs, try making the patient slow down his/her pace of breathing. This will not only help relax the patient but will also conserve his/her strength.
• Once the breathing comes down to a normal pace, make the patient sit up and ask to hold his/her arms above the head as this will help the airways to open up and aid in normal breathing.
• You can also try giving the patient recipes made of honey, milk and garlic, as these three ingredients are good in treating asthma. However, their effects may vary from one patient to another. Along with this you can also ask the patient to practice some deep breathing exercises which will help the patient breath normally.

However, even after trying all these home remedies for asthma attack, if there is no improvement in the breathing, do not delay to consult your health care provider. If it is not treated in time the attack can be fatal, causing even death of the patient. Well, this was all about the things to be taken under consideration during an asthma attack, no inhaler.