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The symptoms of asthma occur as a result of an inflammation and the resultant narrowing of the airways which cause wheezing and shortness of breath. In more severe asthma attacks, tightness in the chest and chest pain can cause a dangerous difficulty in breathing and immediate medical attention is needed. Chronic coughing that is often worse at night or in the early morning can also be a symptom of asthma. The symptoms of asthma all vary from person to person, with some people having mild to moderate symptoms that occur occasionally, and others having more frequent, more severe episodes.

if you have any of these symptoms, it is important to see your primary care physician so they can make an accurate diagnosis and develop and asthma treatment and management plan. This plan should outline what to do if your asthma starts getting worse, and how to treat an asthma attack in progress.

When to seek emergency medical treatment

Severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening and you should immediately call 911 or get to an emergency room for treatment. You should always seek medical attention right away if you have signs or symptoms of a serious asthma attack that include:

• Severe inability to breathe or get air into the lungs, wheezing
• An inability to speak more than short phrases due to shortness of breath
• Having to strain chest muscles and force air in to breathe
• Low peak flow readings when you use a peak flow meter

Medfast Urgent Care Centers offer fast, professional medical treatment for asthma attacks. Our average wait time to see patients is less than an hour, compared to Hospital Emergency Rooms, which can sometimes take longer than three to four hours and are much more expensive. We are professionally staffed with highly-skilled, licensed doctors and nurses, and fully equipped to handle testing and treatment for asthma attacks.