Asthma attacks: fast steps to stop them and keep them away

An asthma attack can feel terrifying. The key is to act fast, use your rescue medication correctly, and know when to get help. This page gives short, practical steps you can use right away and simple prevention tips to reduce future attacks.

If you feel tightness in the chest, wheeze, cough, or have trouble breathing, do this first: sit up straight, stay calm, and take your rescue inhaler (usually a short-acting beta-agonist like albuterol). If you use a spacer, attach it—spacers make inhalers work better. Take one puff, wait 30–60 seconds, then take another. Follow your personal asthma action plan if you have one. If symptoms ease, rest and monitor for at least an hour.

If symptoms don’t improve after 5–10 minutes or you need repeated puffs, repeat the inhaler dose as your plan says. If you’re using a nebulizer at home, use it per instructions. Call for urgent help if you can’t speak full sentences, your lips or face look bluish, or breathing gets much worse. Those signs mean emergency care is needed right away.

Simple prevention that actually helps

Preventing attacks beats treating them. Take your daily controller medicine exactly as prescribed—usually an inhaled corticosteroid for long-term control. Keep rescue inhalers handy and check them monthly. Avoid known triggers: cigarette smoke, strong fumes, cold air, dust mites, pet dander, and respiratory infections. Get a flu shot every year and talk to your doctor about COVID-19 and other vaccines if they apply.

Track your breathing with a peak flow meter if your doctor recommends one. Peak flow measures how well air moves out of your lungs and gives numbers for green/yellow/red zones tied to your action plan. Green means good control, yellow means step up treatment or call your provider, red means seek emergency care. Having those numbers makes decisions faster during an attack.

Make a clear plan and check technique

Have an asthma action plan written with your healthcare provider. It should list daily meds, what to do in yellow and red zones, and emergency contacts. Practice inhaler technique at visits—poor technique is a common reason medicines fail. If you use a spacer, clean it per instructions and replace mouthpieces if damaged. Review your plan at least once a year or after any attack that landed you in urgent care.

Finally, tell friends or family what to do if you have a bad attack. Quick, calm help from someone who knows your plan can make a big difference. If you’re unsure about symptoms or changes in your pattern, call your provider early—catching worsening asthma early prevents many emergencies.