When suffering from asthma, you shouldn’t have to sit in an emergency room for hours or wait a few days to get an appointment at your doctor’s office. With illnesses like asthma, immediate care is very important, making it a great reason to visit your local urgent care center.
Fortunately, asthma is a treatable and manageable condition that won’t impact your quality of life if you work with an experienced doctor. If you experience an asthma attack or trouble breathing and need immediate care, you are able to visit Local MD Urgent Care with an appointment or as a walk-in!
Asthma Symptoms
Asthma and its associated breathing problems affect more than 25 million people in the U.S. each year. Roughly 7 million of these are children. Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes difficulty breathing. Symptoms may range from mild to severe, depending on how strongly the airways react to the inhaled allergens.
While the exact cause of asthma is unknown, we do know quite a bit about the body’s allergic response. When someone with an allergic sensitivity breathes in certain allergens, the airways become inflamed, and the inflammation causes swelling and tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways. The problem is often made worse by the body’s increased production of mucus in response. Together, these reactions make it difficult to get enough air into the lungs.
Someone having an asthma attack will usually experience noticeable breathing problems. Asthma symptoms may include:
-
Shortness of Breath
-
Wheezing
-
Chest Tightness
-
Coughing
​
Symptoms can vary in intensity depending on how strongly the airways respond to the specific allergens encountered.
Asthma Triggers
As we covered, asthma attacks are often caused by breathing in certain allergens and therefore, your airways becoming inflamed. Some other possible triggers for asthma attacks can include, but are not limited to:
-
Exercise
-
Cigarette Smoke
-
Dust or Pollen
-
Mold Spores
-
Pet Dander
-
Air Pollutants
Diagnosing Asthma
Asthma is typically diagnosed by a primary care physician based on your medical history, physical exam, and test results. Your physician will ask about your family history of asthma and/or allergies, and inquire about whether you have asthma symptoms, and if you do, how often.
​
During a physical exam, your physician will listen to your breathing while looking for signs of asthma or allergies such as wheezing, swollen nasal passages, or allergic skin conditions.
​
Often, a diagnostic test of lung function is conducted to test how efficiently your lungs are working. This will measure how much air you can breathe in and out, and how fast air can be blown. If the results of these tests are inconclusive, additional tests may be recommended.
Asthma Treatment
Although there’s no cure, there are asthma medications and treatment options available to help those with asthma manage the disease. Most live normal, active lives and suffer few symptoms.
​
If you experience asthma symptoms and need medication or treatment, the On Dmed medical professionals are always available for those with appointments or walk-ins. No appointment is ever necessary and online check-in is available for your convenience. We can provide immediate care to help you adhere to your doctor’s action plan and manage any symptoms. Let us help you get back to your normal activities as quickly as possible.
​
Depending on how severe your asthma is, you could experience anything from a simple allergic reaction, an asthma attack, or anaphylaxis - a very dangerous reaction, with the following symptoms:
-
Tingling Mouth
-
Swelling of Lips, Tongue, Face, or Throat
-
Chest Tightness, Wheezing, Coughing, or Shortness of Breath
-
Nausea and Vomiting
-
Sneezing
-
Runny, Stuffy Nose
-
Itchy, Watery Eyes
-
Rashes or Itchy Skin
If you or a loved one may be experiencing anaphylaxis, please immediately call 911 to have them taken to a nearby emergency room.