What to do about chest tightness in bronchial asthma?

Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
Updated on February 07, 2025
00:00
00:00

Bronchial asthma is a disease characterized by breathlessness, chest tightness, rapid breathing, and coughing, caused by the infiltration of various inflammatory cells in the airways, resulting in the narrowing of the bronchial lumen and the production of a large amount of mucus. When patients with bronchial asthma experience chest tightness, we can treat them with some nebulized inhalation medications. These medications are usually short-acting bronchodilators that can take effect within 3-5 minutes, quickly alleviating the symptoms of chest tightness. Additionally, patients should avoid exposure to allergens that may trigger asthma attacks, such as animal fur, viruses, and dust, to prevent recurrence of the symptoms.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
47sec home-news-image

Is bronchial asthma airflow limitation reversible?

The airflow limitation in bronchial asthma is completely reversible, which is related to the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the occurrence of bronchial asthma. Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway inflammation involving multiple inflammatory cells. When this airway inflammation occurs, there can be edema of the airway mucosa as well as spasm and contraction of the smooth muscles outside the bronchi. However, this inflammation and smooth muscle spasm are reversible through medication or spontaneous improvement. Thus, many patients with mild asthma can achieve symptom relief without medication. In the case of some severe patients, even though the airflow is restricted, it can be reversed with the use of medications, and generally, the recovery is very quick.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min home-news-image

What will happen if bronchial asthma is not treated?

Bronchial asthma is a very common type of asthma in clinical settings, triggered by numerous and complex factors. Generally, patients with this condition often experience frequent recurrent attacks into asthmatic states. Since there is no specific cure for this type of asthma in clinical settings, symptom relief through medication is used to improve the quality of life of patients. Therefore, it is usual in clinical practice to provide symptomatic treatment promptly once bronchial asthma is diagnosed. If bronchial asthma is left untreated, it may pose significant health risks. During an asthma attack, patients may experience varying degrees of shortness of breath, chest tightness, or even difficulty breathing. If the respiratory distress caused by an asthma attack is not relieved in time, it could lead to complications such as hypoxemia or even respiratory failure in some cases.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
49sec home-news-image

Symptoms of bronchial asthma cough

Bronchial asthma can also manifest as a disease primarily characterized by coughing, which we call cough-variant asthma. It does not necessarily exhibit typical symptoms of bronchial asthma such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness; it manifests solely as coughing. This type of cough generally occurs more frequently in the early morning and at night, characterized primarily by a dry cough without mucus. If the coughing is severe, some chest tightness may occur, accompanied by symptoms such as an itchy nose, itchy throat, or the presence of hives, an allergic condition, which is different from ordinary coughs. Therefore, when these characteristics are present, attention should be paid to whether it is combined with bronchial asthma, rather than just a simple cold or bronchitis manifestation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
48sec home-news-image

Is bronchial asthma contagious?

Is bronchial asthma contagious? Bronchial asthma is not contagious; it is not an infectious disease. The exact causes of bronchial asthma are not very clear, primarily thought to be related to genetic and environmental factors. Bronchial asthma has a close relationship with genetics, meaning that if parents have asthma, their children and grandchildren might also develop bronchial asthma. The closer the familial relationship, the higher the chances of developing bronchial asthma compared to the general population. This genetic pattern can create the illusion to the general public that bronchial asthma is contagious, but it may be more closely related to genetics.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
1min 12sec home-news-image

The difference between bronchial asthma and pulmonary emphysema.

Bronchial asthma and emphysema are two different diseases. Bronchial asthma typically manifests as episodic coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. Patients often develop this condition in childhood and adolescence, and it is relatively rare in the elderly. Emphysema, on the other hand, is often related to long-term smoking and is usually seen in middle-aged and older patients. Early stages of emphysema may only be evident on a chest CT and may not show significant symptoms of chest tightness. However, as the disease progresses, patients often experience noticeable chest tightness and difficulty breathing, and the condition tends to progressively worsen. Patients typically eventually develop complications such as chronic respiratory failure and chronic pulmonary heart disease. Therefore, the characteristics of bronchial asthma and emphysema are different. However, it is important to note that in patients with bronchial asthma, if the condition is not controlled and continues to progress, it might also lead to the development of emphysema, chronic respiratory failure, pulmonary heart disease, and other related conditions.