How To Apply First Aid When Asthma Attacks Especially When You Run Out Of Inhaler

by Cecile Cinco

I woke up at around 4am today with an asthma attack…and I ran out of inhaler.

First, a background of my asthma…

I didn’t have it when I was a kid. In fact it was just in the 90s that it just appeared. I don’t recall the first time now as I’ve had a lot of attacks from then till now.

I would conclude, though, that it appeared due to lack of physical activity, just like what I’m doing now, only my fingers are really that exercised. Imagine typing at 50wpm…better yet, doing the actual typing and not mere imagining.

Up until 1990, I was physically fit. I enjoyed hiking and obstacle course even during my teens. During my first employment in Olongapo City when I was living on my own from 1988-1990, that time was the most exercised time of my life though I really did not do any counted or programmed exercise. It was more in the form of hiking, swimming, cycling, volleyball, and bowling. The most difficult of them all was when I biked with my cousin from Olongapo City to Castillejos, Subic. On our way back before the zigzag, we stopped over Kale Beach, chained our bikes and went for a swim until we were about 50 meters away. Floating in that quiet water was just relaxing. After about 30 minutes, we got back to our bikes, wore our shoes, and off we went the zigzag dripping wet. It was dangerous going back because we were driving on the cliff side. If you accidentally fall, you’re dead. Added to the danger is when buses would overtake you and you’re like blown to fall off if you don’t apply some counterweight to your left. We would arrive home dry and exhausted but it was real good exercise.

At times from the same beach, me and my friends would hike the hill in front of us instead of riding a jeepney back to Olongapo City. From the beach point, up the hill, we’d reach the peak after 3 hours, rest there and you see the ligts of Olongapo when it’s dark…lovely. Around 7pm we continue our downhill path to the city.

Olongapo is the place where I learned bowling. When I did, I can play 20 games of ten-pin bowling a day. At first I had to pay my way to learning the first 3 weeks. When I was doing good, I never backed out any challenge for loser’s pay. I don’t challenge anyone, though. So when I have an itch for a few games and I had no money, I just go to the bowling house and wait for someone arrogant to challenge me.

Volleyball was also one of the sports I joined in when we had an inter-governmental tournament. I was also just learning at that time and I did practice with my mentor under the 12noon heat of the sun during lunch breaks. The volleyball court was just about 100m to the left of the Mayor’s Office (where I worked) and the office was just across the street where I lived so I can shower and change in roughly ten minutes.

In March 1990 I resigned and came home to San Pedro, Laguna. Was able to get a temporary job in Quezon City from June to August that year which led me to my longest employment from September 1990 to August 1994 when my eldest was 4 months old.

During those 4 years, all I did was sit all day from riding the bus to work, at work, and going home. That’s about from 6am to 9pm almost always seated. If I was not seated, I was lying on bed sleeping. The few times I was standing would not even total an hour I guess. Being a workaholic then, my fingers really did most of the exercise! If I wasn’t working, I was playing the game portion of Typing Tutor even reaching 61wpm then!

So, I believe that’s how I got my asthma. Rather, my lungs became weak for lack of exercise that asthma was just easy to attack. Besides, I’m allergic to so many stuff. Smoke, strong scent/odor, extreme climate conditions, sardines, chicken (not as much now as it used to be). When I used to eat chicken frequently, as in 4x a week, in about 3 months I would develop white spots under my chin, neck, cheeks, shoulders and arms. On my chest would be red spots. More like beveled ant bites. They don’t get treated even if I try those skin creams and stuff. They just submerge but later would come out again when I ate too much of my allergens.

Certain medical supplies like inhalers or “puffs” would be a fast remedy but many times I’d ran out of it since it’s way too expensive. Besides, they are not really good since they are mere steroids that will strengthen you for awhile. Your body gets weaker and weaker if you do nothing about it to strengthen it…like with exercise.

Now the most awaited part of this post. The background became long, sorry about that, I got carried away.

I can speak for an adult only. Since I did not have asthma when I was a kid, I would not know how to deal with it. If you have a kid who has asthma and can follow instructions, maybe you can try it on him/her but don’t sue me, ok. If you follow what I said, it is to your own volition that you did. I am just relating how I do it. So it’s a firsthand experience.

How To Apply First Aid When Asthma Attacks Especially When You Run Out Of Inhaler:

1. Don’t panic.

2. Try to hold your breath for 5 seconds and exhale through the mouth formed as if there’s a sipping straw between your lips. Do it very slowly trying to not make any abrupt movement in your lungs. Do it several times.

3. Cough if you must. More often than not you will spew out phlegm. It will make you better.

4. Drink coffee. If you’re a coffee drinker, make it a double dose. There’s something about coffee that eases asthma.

5. Divert your attention elsewhere. Do something you love doing like maybe crafting, solving puzzles, blogging. Something that will make you concentrate on that diversion and your brain relaxes your lungs and ease up the attack.

More often than not, this will solve the problem. I did all those 5 points this morning. My diversion was blogging.

You can also add #6. Accupressure. Press the points under your colarbone in a circular motion. Another help is having someone tap your back lightly and evenly with cupped hands. The point here is you are letting the blood flow through your veins especially those that are nearest to the main arteries. That also means oxygen generated.

What else can you do to strengthen your immune system and minimize asthma attacks?

1. Narra Tree

This is really good. I just don’t have access to a tree anymore and the capsules at Ecarma are expensive for me. If you have access to a narra tree, I’ll blog about how to prepare it, one of these days.

2. Eggs and Milk

Dr. Robin Navarro is a family friend who almost died of asthma. We haven’t seen each other in a long time but I tried to do a search and I found him. His research is very interesting that I’ll leave you to go over to his site (click his name). He’s a living proof.

How to minimize asthma attacks? Stay away from your allergens and get exercise. Again, according to Dr. Navarro:

Many patients with asthma and allergy could get rid of these condition. Unstable membrane of cells lining the skin and the bronchial tree leads to the release of chemical agents of asthma and allergy like Histamine, Prostaglandin and Leucotriene. These agents irritate surrounding tissues leading to inflammation (swelling) and itchiness due to compression of pain nerve endings in the skin. In thebroncial tree, the reaction is different since the airway is lined by mucus secreting cells and there are circular muscles in the bronchi that can widen or narrow the airway. So besides inflammation, allergic reaction in the airway is accompanied by profuse mucus secretion (phlegm production) and bronchoconstriction (narrowing of bronchial lumen). This leads to symptoms of asthma like cough, wheeze and breathlessness.

The secret in asthma and allergy management is stabilization of cell membrane lining the skin and the bronchial tree.”With stable cell membrane, leakage of chemical mediators of asthma and allergy are prevented and long lasting relief follows.”

Another factor that can help asthmatics and those with allergies is the improvement of the function of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline (epinephrine) and steroid hormones. Both hormones help stabilize the skin and mucus membrane and bring back to normal whatever pathological (diseased) changes has occurred on account of asthma and allergy. The medicines used for asthma are only simulating the effect of adrenaline and steroid hormones on the airway of asthmatics. Those medicines with adrenaline-like effect are salbutamol, terbutaline and fenoterol, though, however, their side effects on the heart are minimal compared to adrenaline. And those medicines with steroid-like effects are budesonide, beclomethasone, fluticasone propionate, prednisone, etc.

When asked what patients should do or take to stabilize cell membrane and enhance adrenal function, Dr. Navarro says that diet manipulation will be very helpful like cutting down on animal fat and cooking oil. Animal fat and cooking oil destabilize the cell membrane. In his clinic, Dr. Navarro says that he uses enzymes, co-enzymes, antioxidant and minerals to help stabilize cell membrane to improve adrenal function.

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