If you have asthma, you know how downright scary the condition can be. After all, asthma causes your lungs to produce excessive amounts of mucus while constricting already narrow airways, making it impossible to breathe. If you do not receive immediate medication for a serious asthma attack, you can die.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, asthma sufferers have a wide range of triggers. Put differently, what causes one person to have an asthma attack can have little or no effect on another person’s asthma. Still, for many asthma patients, stress often induces flare-ups.
Car accidents are stressful, of course
Even if you have had a car accident or two, they are rare occurrences. Consequently, any type of crash is likely to be stressful for you. While adrenaline can mask the symptoms of an asthma attack, you must closely watch for any of the following in the aftermath of an accident:
- Difficulty breathing
- Wheezing, coughing or gasping for air
- Bluing of the skin
- Difficulty speaking
It is important to note that stress-induced asthma attacks can continue to worsen for a couple of days after their onset. Therefore, if you only have minor or moderate symptoms, it would be unwise for you to believe you are ok.
At-home treatments come with some inherent risks
If you have daily medication and a rescue inhaler, you may be able to stop a mild asthma attack on your own. Regrettably, though, after a car accident, you may not be able to distinguish between a mild flare-up and a potentially life-threatening one.
Ultimately, rather than hoping for the best with what appears to be a minor attack, you must go to the emergency room for immediate medical care.