Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAsthma Flare-UpsSymptomsCausesTreatmentEmergency CarePreventionFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Asthma Guidenatural remedies for asthma
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Asthma Flare-Ups
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Emergency Care
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Asthma Guide
During anasthmaflare-up, sometimes called an asthma episode or anasthma attack, symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness get worse.People with asthma might go several days or longer without noticing any symptoms and then experience a sudden flare-up.
Flare-ups can range from mild to severe and can be an emergency. A good asthma treatment plan will minimize flare-ups and enable you to stop them when they occur.
Learn more about asthma flare-ups, including signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment.
FatCamera / Getty Images
What Is an Asthma Flare-Up?
During an asthma flare-up, asthma symptoms get worse. You may have only one or two symptoms, or you might have several.Circadian rhythms(your body’s internal “clock”) can also alter hormone secretion, which is why some healthcare experts theorize that asthma gets worse at night in some people.
Another sign that you’re experiencing an asthma flare-up is that your inhaler isn’t working as well as it usually does. You might notice that you need to take more quick-relief asthma medication than usual.Nighttime asthma symptoms are also a typical sign of an asthma exacerbation.
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) is assessed with apeak flow meter, which measures how well your lungs are functioning and can monitor your asthma symptoms. For a peak flow meter to be useful during an asthma flare, you must know your recommended normal range. Talk with your healthcare provider about how to determine this.
Mild Flare-Up
During a mild asthma flare-up, you might experience coughing, wheezing, or mild breathing difficulties. You should be able to walk around normally and speak in full sentences.
Moderate Flare-Up
During a moderate asthma flare-up, you’ll have symptoms like shortness of breath andwheezingwhile you talk, exhale, or lie down. You might feel like you’re straining your neck in order to breathe deeply. Your PEF reading could be between 50% and 80% of your personal best.
Severe Flare-Up
During a severe asthma flare-up, your PEF reading might be less than 50% of your personal best.Breathing will be labored, and it might be difficult to talk, walk, or even move around much. You might feel confused, anxious, disoriented, or drowsy.
Seek Emergency HelpAsthma can be serious and even life-threatening. Seek medical help immediately if you experience any of the following asthma symptoms:Chest painColor changes in fingernails, lips, or faceConfusionDifficulty talkingRapid breathingSevere shortness of breath
Seek Emergency Help
Asthma can be serious and even life-threatening. Seek medical help immediately if you experience any of the following asthma symptoms:Chest painColor changes in fingernails, lips, or faceConfusionDifficulty talkingRapid breathingSevere shortness of breath
Asthma can be serious and even life-threatening. Seek medical help immediately if you experience any of the following asthma symptoms:
When your asthma symptoms flare up, certain signs and symptoms are worth keeping an eye on:
Warning Signs
Early warning signs of an asthma flare-up may include:
You might also notice that you must use your asthma medications more frequently to achieve the same effect.
Severe Symptoms
In some cases, asthma can become a medical emergency. If left untreated, an asthma flare-up can lead to respiratory failure and even death.The symptoms of a severe asthma flare-up include:
Call 911 right away if you have any of these severe asthma symptoms.
Asthma Flare-Up Causes
There are many reasons your asthma symptoms might flare up at certain times. Some of the most common asthma triggers include:
In addition to the above, some of the most common asthma triggers among children include:
The 7 Most Common Types of Respiratory Disease
How to Treat an Asthma Flare-Up
If your child has asthma, you can distribute the asthma action plan to their teachers, school administrators, family, friends, and healthcare providers.
In addition to creating an asthma action plan, here are some of the steps you can take to treat an asthma flare-up:
Take quick-relief medications: Many people with asthma take quick-relief medications, usually through an inhaler, to open and relax the muscles in their airways right away. These “bronchodilators” are usually short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs), such asalbuterol.
Increasingly, combination inhalers that include the quick-acting, long-acting bronchodilator named formoterol (e.g. Symbicort a combination of budesonide and formoterol) are also being prescribed as daily controller medications and for treatment of asthma flares.
AirSupra (albuterol and budenoside) is also used for this purpose and has been shown to reduce severity of exacerbations, including a reduction in emergency department visits and hospitalizations.If you have any questions about which inhaler you should use during a flare, talk with your healthcare provider.
Take controller medications: People with ongoing asthma symptoms may take controller medications—usually inhaled steroids—to reduce lung inflammation.You might also need to take them on a regular basis to prevent asthma attacks. Your healthcare provider might prescribe oral steroids on a temporary basis to treat a persistent asthma flare-up.
In January 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Airsupra (albuterol and budesonide). Airsupra is a combination of a SABA and an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) for the treatment of acute asthma symptoms and prevention of future asthma attacks.
See a specialist:If your asthma symptoms persist, your healthcare provider can refer you to a specialist (such as an allergist) to identify and treat the root cause.
When to Seek Emergency Care
A severe asthma flare-up needs to be treated before it becomes a medical emergency.Here are some of the signs that you need to seek emergency care for your asthma symptoms right away:
How to Prevent an Asthma Flare-Up
Develop an Action Plan
Your asthma action plan is a detailed guide to managing and treating your asthma symptoms. In addition to providing information for you, your healthcare providers, and family and friends on what to do during a mild, moderate, or severe asthma flare-up, an asthma action plan should include:
Take Medication
Take your asthma medications on time and as prescribed. If you use arescue inhaler, make sure to bring it with you everywhere you go. If your healthcare provider prescribes you preventive controller medications, take them even when you’re not having asthma symptoms.
If you have co-occurring medical conditions, treating them can also help to ease your asthma symptoms. For example, many people with asthma also have GERD andobstructive sleep apnea(in which you stop and start breathing repeatedly during sleep).
Taking GERD medications, eating a GERD-friendly diet, and using acontinuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machinefor sleep apnea can help you manage your asthma, as well.
Summary
Asthma is a chronic medical condition that causes symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways in the lungs. Asthma flare-ups happen when asthma symptoms get worse.
To treat an asthma flare-up, you can take quick-relief asthma medications (usually through an inhaler) and if prescribed to you, oral corticosteroids or other medications that fight inflammation in asthma. If symptoms get worse, it’s important to seek emergency medical treatment.
A Word From Verywell
If your asthma symptoms get worse, it’s important to treat them right away. In severe cases, asthma can lead to respiratory failure,which can be fatal. Seek emergency help if your asthma flare-up is persistent or reaches the point where you feel it’s out of control.
Frequently Asked QuestionsDepending on its severity, an asthma flare-up may last a few minutes. Then again, it may last several hours or even several days.Asthma flare-ups can happen at any time.Asthma symptoms tend to flare up at night because you sleep in a reclined position that can trigger a cough. Your sleeping position may be causing symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which can make asthma symptoms worse.Asthma flare-ups do not cause fever. The symptoms of an asthma flare-up include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.However, you might have a fever during an asthma flare-up due to an infection or illness. Respiratory infections and other illnesses can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms.
Depending on its severity, an asthma flare-up may last a few minutes. Then again, it may last several hours or even several days.Asthma flare-ups can happen at any time.
Asthma symptoms tend to flare up at night because you sleep in a reclined position that can trigger a cough. Your sleeping position may be causing symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which can make asthma symptoms worse.
Asthma flare-ups do not cause fever. The symptoms of an asthma flare-up include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.However, you might have a fever during an asthma flare-up due to an infection or illness. Respiratory infections and other illnesses can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms.
Asthma flare-ups do not cause fever. The symptoms of an asthma flare-up include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
However, you might have a fever during an asthma flare-up due to an infection or illness. Respiratory infections and other illnesses can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is asthma?Zhou D, Li H, Wang Y, Hochhaus G, Sinha V, Zhao L.Quantitative characterization of circadian rhythm of pulmonary function in asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids.J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2015;42(4):391-9. doi:10.1007/s10928-015-9420-6.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Asthma attack.Asthma Australia.Asthma flare-ups & attacks.American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Peak flow meter.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma signs and symptoms.McMullen SM, Patrick W.Cyanosis.The American Journal of Medicine. 2013;126(3):210-212. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.004Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Respiratory infections and asthma.American Lung Association.Create an asthma action plan.MedlinePlus.Asthma—quick-relief drugs.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Obstructive sleep apnea.Asthma + Lung UK.What should I do if my lung condition symptoms wake me up?
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is asthma?Zhou D, Li H, Wang Y, Hochhaus G, Sinha V, Zhao L.Quantitative characterization of circadian rhythm of pulmonary function in asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids.J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2015;42(4):391-9. doi:10.1007/s10928-015-9420-6.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Asthma attack.Asthma Australia.Asthma flare-ups & attacks.American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Peak flow meter.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma signs and symptoms.McMullen SM, Patrick W.Cyanosis.The American Journal of Medicine. 2013;126(3):210-212. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.004Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Respiratory infections and asthma.American Lung Association.Create an asthma action plan.MedlinePlus.Asthma—quick-relief drugs.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Obstructive sleep apnea.Asthma + Lung UK.What should I do if my lung condition symptoms wake me up?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is asthma?Zhou D, Li H, Wang Y, Hochhaus G, Sinha V, Zhao L.Quantitative characterization of circadian rhythm of pulmonary function in asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids.J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2015;42(4):391-9. doi:10.1007/s10928-015-9420-6.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Asthma attack.Asthma Australia.Asthma flare-ups & attacks.American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Peak flow meter.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma signs and symptoms.McMullen SM, Patrick W.Cyanosis.The American Journal of Medicine. 2013;126(3):210-212. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.004Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Respiratory infections and asthma.American Lung Association.Create an asthma action plan.MedlinePlus.Asthma—quick-relief drugs.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Obstructive sleep apnea.Asthma + Lung UK.What should I do if my lung condition symptoms wake me up?
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is asthma?
Zhou D, Li H, Wang Y, Hochhaus G, Sinha V, Zhao L.Quantitative characterization of circadian rhythm of pulmonary function in asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids.J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2015;42(4):391-9. doi:10.1007/s10928-015-9420-6.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Asthma attack.
Asthma Australia.Asthma flare-ups & attacks.
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Peak flow meter.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Asthma signs and symptoms.
McMullen SM, Patrick W.Cyanosis.The American Journal of Medicine. 2013;126(3):210-212. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.004
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Respiratory infections and asthma.
American Lung Association.Create an asthma action plan.
MedlinePlus.Asthma—quick-relief drugs.
Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA approves drug combination treatment for adults with asthma.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Obstructive sleep apnea.
Asthma + Lung UK.What should I do if my lung condition symptoms wake me up?
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
