Asthma is a common respiratory illness in Australia, with an estimated 11% of all Australians living with the condition. It can be triggered by common factors found in any outdoor activity such as heat, dust, pollen or physical activity.
Some of the signs and symptoms of asthma include:
- difficulty breathing
- tightness of the chest
- wheezing
- lethargy
- coughing
- In more severe asthma attacks, a patient may appear to have bluish lips, have difficulty breathing or speaking, a feeling of distress or physical symptoms such as clawing at the chest in an attempt to breath.
When this occurs, it is important to deal with the situation immediately to prevent the attack from advancing in severity but also to treat the patient in order to relieve the symptoms they are experiencing.
The first step is to sit the patient down. Reassure them and attempt to calm them. Loosen any tight clothing around the chest or neck area.
If they have a blue/ grey asthma reliever puffer, follow the 4:4:4 protocol. This involves having the patient take the puffer, take 4 deep breaths and repeat this for 4 times. Every 4 minutes, repeat this.
If after this 4:4:4 protocol has had no effect and the patient continues to struggle to breathe, call for an ambulance or other emergency services.