What Is Severe Asthma?

Asthma involves the hyperactivity and inflammation of airways linked with your lungs. Many studies reveal that asthma is a chronic condition of the lungs that is triggered by breathing allergens from your environment, such as mold, dust, pollen, and animal dander. Some of these allergens also include microbes, pollutants, and perfumers which may lead to uncomfortable or life-threatening allergies. Its symptoms include rapid breathing, chest tightness, straining of chest and neck muscles, chronic and recurrent cough, shortness of breath, changes in heart rate, and wheezing. Asthma is also defined as an inflammatory lung disease that can lead to mild to severe symptoms. However, you can manage the symptoms by avoiding the triggers and taking daily medications. In case of severe asthma attacks, patients may need quick medical assistance. Severe asthma attacks can be fatal but it’s rare.

Who has Severe Asthma?

When someone requires medium or high doses of inhaled corticosteroids combined with other longer-acting medications, they may be diagnosed with severe asthma attacks. If, despite proper use of such medications, the person feels it uncontrolled, it may be life-threatening. People who suffer from severe asthma experience symptoms most days and every night. Such patients usually require the continuous use of inhaled medications or even daily oral steroids to provide rescue from their asthma. 

Additionally, severe asthma can impact your daily activities, leading to missing school or office and directly affecting your quality of life. Pulmonary function tests and spirometry are often used to detect a reduction in lung function in patients with severe asthma.

How would you Know that you have Severe Asthma?

Severe asthma attacks have similar symptoms to other asthma types. However, it can be fatal if you do work with your healthcare provider on medications or lifestyle modifications that can save your life.

If you cannot succeed in managing the symptoms of asthma via any type of treatment. It means that you have severe asthma. Studies showed that severe asthma needs high doses of inhaled corticosteroids or long-term oral corticosteroids in addition to other medications.

Asthma is categorized in three ways:

• Untreated asthma.
• Therapy-resistant asthma.
• Difficult-to-treat asthma.

Researchers concluded that severe asthma belongs to the third category. Though it is difficult to treat, there are still ways to manage its symptoms. Keep reading to learn the signs of a severe asthma attack and treatment options to manage the condition.

Is Severe Asthma Common?

According to research analysis, 10 to 15% of asthma patients have symptoms of severe asthma. In children, severe asthma affects 6 to 17-year-old, more. The percentage of severely asthma-affected population may be higher than this. The reason is people with severe asthma do not visit their doctor often and do not report their symptoms completely. Studies show that 20% of children and 50% of adult asthma patients have poorly controlled symptoms despite treatment.

Difference between Severe Asthma and Uncontrolled Asthma 

Severe asthma can be classified as controlled asthma or uncontrolled asthma. However, uncontrolled asthma is not always identified as severe asthma. Similarly, uncontrolled asthma also does not always refer to severe asthma. Using the Rule of Two, you can check your asthma control. If the answer of checking is positive, your asthma may be uncontrolled and you should talk to your doctor on an immediate basis.

In addition, symptoms remain under control in some cases of severe asthma. However, some people struggle with symptoms even on high doses of daily controller medications. The symptoms get worse day by day. The severity of asthma can be measured by counting:

• The impact of asthma on your daily life.
• How often do you need your quick-relief rescue medication?
• The duration and frequency of your daytime and nighttime asthma symptoms.

Severe Asthma Symptoms

Mild moderate asthma and severe asthma share some similar symptoms. However, symptoms of severe asthma tend to be more intense, difficult to manage, and potentially life-threatening.

Common symptoms of severe asthma include:

• Dry or mucus-containing cough.
• Shortness of breath. Wheezing persists after treatment.
• Tightness of chest.
• Pain in the chest continues to worsen.

Severe asthma is a life-threatening condition. That’s why you should be careful about its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. In time diagnosis and treatment can relieve the symptoms and help save your life. Shortness of breath while doing a physical activity is a sign of worsening the condition. In such a situation, see your doctor as soon as possible. If you do not get relief from the inhaler dose, you may need emergency treatment.

Best Treatment for Severe Asthma

Severe asthma symptoms always tend to be persistent, severe, and difficult to treat. Studies show that severe asthma is very difficult to treat because it either doesn’t respond to medications and treatment at all. This unresponsive nature of medications is called therapy-resistant asthma. It is due to the resistant nature of your asthma to corticosteroids and other medications used to treat asthma. 

Doctors can help you, diagnose severe asthma if you:

• There are no other factors or conditions that could explain these symptoms.
• Have needed high-dose inhaled steroids treatment with certain medications such as theophylline, long-acting beta-agonist, or leukotriene modifier since the past year.
• Have required systemic glucocorticoids for six months or more to treat the condition.

In case, your asthma doesn’t respond to these medications, see your doctor and ask them to diagnose the cause of irresponsive behavior of asthma so that they may suggest some alternative treatment options.

Your healthcare provider may check to see if you have other conditions that may be mimicking asthma, like heart failure or angina. They will also recommend a thorough examination for diagnosis of more complications of asthma, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and certain chronic infections.

Your doctor will work with you to develop an effective treatment plan, including lifestyle changes, natural remedies, and medications.

Lifestyle Measures to Help Treat Severe Asthma

According to research, certain lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms of the condition:

• If you are obese, manage your weight with your healthcare professional’s guidance.
• Massage therapy for relieving the symptoms, especially in children.
• Avoiding or removing suspected triggers, like exposure to environmental irritants such as chemicals and allergies.
• Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke.
• Practicing breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation to help relieve symptoms.
• Staying physically active improves your general health and strengthens your lungs.

Although lifestyle measures can help manage the symptoms, more research is needed regarding lifestyle interventions and asthma, as research can be inconclusive.

Natural Remedies to Help Treat Severe Asthma

Certain natural remedies can help relieve the symptoms but it is reality that natural treatments cannot replace your asthma medications. So always follow the prescribed treatments.

Some natural remedies for asthma include:

• Caffeine.
• Black seed.
• Choline.

Though research on the effects of herbs on severe asthma is still inconclusive, there is evidence that ensures the effectiveness of some herbal medicines for relieving asthma symptoms. Studies confirmed that some herbal medicines may help with lung function and also benefit people living with asthma.

In addition, some lifestyle changes along with massage therapy, cupping, and acupuncture can also help relieve the symptoms. However, it is necessary to talk to your doctor before taking any herb or supplements for treating asthma. More research is needed to prove the authenticity of herbal medicine for severe asthma treatment.

Medications

Medications and prescribed treatment options are the most reliable way to treat your condition. They include:

• Oxygen therapy.
• Inhaled corticosteroids more often.
• Oral corticosteroids. 
• Continuous inhaled nebulizer.
• Corticosteroid injections.
• A macrolide antibiotic, in a low dose.
• Azithromycin.
• Biologics.
• Montelukast.
• Ipratropium bromide aerosols.
• Theophylline.
• Long-acting beta-agonists.

You may see the above-mentioned medicines alone or in a combination to help get your asthma to a manageable place.

What are Severe Asthma Attacks?

Signs of severe asthma attacks are:

• Inability to perform daily activities normally.
• Strain your chest muscles and work hard to breathe.
• Infant’s inability to respond to their parents or recognize them.
• Difficulty in power inhaling or exhaling.
• Severe shortness of breath that makes it difficult to speak.
• Color changes in the fingernails, face, and lips.
• Rapid breathing leads to tightness of your chest and ribs.
• Rapidly moving nostrils flames during exhaling and inhaling.
• Symptoms resistant to rescue inhales.

Call for emergency medical assistance, when you or your child experience any of the mentioned symptoms. Severe asthma attacks usually lead to life-threatening conditions respiratory failure or heart failure. Don’t ignore these symptoms.

How does Severe Asthma Affect Your Lungs?

Lung treatment associations are working to devise the watts that can indicate the severity of asthma symptoms and their effects on the lung structure and function. The Most recent research revealed that a new technique has been introduced by a team of lung experts that can help identify the condition of the lungs at the different stages of asthma. This technique used traffic light colors to indicate the three peak flow zones, i.e. red, green, and yellow. These different colors reflect how your lungs are working and what’s happening to your lungs and airways due to asthma attacks.

Red: This color refers to being stopped. This indicates that your airways have been adversely affected and becoming narrower. This is a medical emergency, where you need quick medical assistance.

Yellow: This color refers to being cautious. This means that your airways are becoming narrow. You may be advised to add more medications or treatment options to save your life.

Green: This color indicates the maximum of your normal peak flow rate and signals an all-clear. This zone indicates that your asthma can be easily managed. The thing to remember, whatever the situation, your healthcare team may have specific ranges or guidelines that you should follow for the treatment of asthma attacks. They can help you to create an asthma action plan and address any changes in symptoms.

Time Required to Recover from a Severe Asthma Attack

This is a severe condition that needs long-term treatment plans and management options.

The recovery time after an attack varies based on an individual’s symptoms and their severity level. Sometimes, it causes lung damage which may be temporary or permanent and may require additional treatment. Therefore, a quick treatment after a severe asthma attack is necessary.

The duration of recovery and the length of time it takes also depend on the speed of recovery.

Severe asthma is difficult to treat. That’s why you are advised to take rest as much as you can to speed up your recovery.

Although it may make you emotionally and physically exhausted to take a day or more to relax and extend your activities beyond, it’s an essential step to speed up your recovery.

In addition, your doctor may schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as possible so that they may review your symptoms and medications to adjust them as needed. They will also give you tips to recover soon. They also will update your asthma action plan to help prevent another attack.

Prevention of Severe Asthma

Following a treatment plan prescribed by your doctors is the best way to help prevent severe asthma and severe asthma attacks. Working with your doctor can help you speed up your theory time.

Some major techniques or ways to help prevent asthma and its attacks include:

• Reduce your exposure to any allergens that may trigger your asthma.
• Talk to your doctor to make a weight management plan if you have obesity.
• Quit smoking.
• Let your doctor know if you notice that your medications and treatment plan stop working.
• Use your daily medication as directed by your healthcare professional.
• Use your rescue inhaler as instructed after getting the first symptom of an asthma attack.
• Track your symptoms and use medicines regularly to manage the symptoms.
• Get routine vaccinations for flu, whooping cough, and pneumonia.
• Wear a face-mask when you go outside in cold weather or do exercise.

Follow the asthma action plan created by your doctor. This action plan will have all the outlined steps you need to take in case of an asthma attack. But don’t forget to share this plan with your family, friends, and co-workers because sharing the plan will make your support team able to help you if you experience an attack.

Conclusion

Severe asthma or severe asthma attacks can be taken to a manageable place by adhering to your doctor-prescribed treatments and lifestyle measures. If you feel that your treatment plan is not working, discuss your concerns with your doctor. This will help you achieve your treatment goal.

Your doctors may review the treatment options and help you create an effective treatment option to manage your severe asthma or prevent more severe asthma attacks.