If your asthma is well managed, you should rarely have symptoms. But sometimes, your asthma may flare up anyway. You may start to cough or have difficulty breathing. Or you may see that you need more quick-relief medicine than usual to control your symptoms. If this happens, you may be having an asthma attack.
An asthma attack can often be stopped when you catch it early and take the right medicine. If you don’t stop it, your symptoms are likely to continue to worsen.
Asthma attacks may occur without warning, but most people with asthma have warning signs before symptoms begin. Those warning signs are different for everyone. They may even be different for you at different times.
By knowing your warning signs and acting on them, you may be able to avoid a serious asthma attack. Work with your doctor to find out what your warning signs are.
Further Reading