Emergencies

Knowing what an asthma emergency looks like and what to do is important.

What an asthma emergency looks like:

Breathing – wheeze, cough, short of breath and hard fast breathing, flared nostrils.
Speech – short sentences, struggling for breath to speak.
Skin – pale, sweaty, blue tinges around the mouth.
Energy – tired, quiet, drowsy, confused.
Chest – fast heart beat, tight chest, use of other muscles making ribs and shoulders hunched.

Taking quick action:

1. Get your reliever inhaler (usually the blue inhaler) & spacer.
2. Give one puff to spacer.
3. Watch your chest rise and fall six times for each puff.
4. Use up to 6 puffs of blue inhaler.
5. If asthma signs have not settled in 15 minutes, call 111.
6. Continue with reliever inhaler & spacer until help arrives.