Key takeaways
- Asthma can lead to both short- and long-term complications, affecting breathing, daily activities, and sleep quality.
- Allergens, irritants, physical activity, and emotional or medical factors can trigger common asthma flare-ups.
- If asthma symptoms don’t improve after using an inhaler, seeking immediate medical attention is crucial to prevent severe complications.
Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways and can worsen over time. While there is no cure for asthma, early treatment can help prevent complications from developing.
These complications can be short term, such as asthma attacks, or long term, such as obesity or depression.
Read on to learn about the possible complications of asthma and how to potentially prevent them.
When to get immediate or emergency care
If your asthma symptoms do not improve after using an inhaler, it’s best to get immediate medical attention.
You may need emergency care if you have:
- extreme difficulty breathing
- severe chest pain
- difficulty walking or talking
- bluish tint to the skin or lips
Asthma complications occur for various reasons. Common flare-up triggers include frequent or heavy exposure to irritants or allergens, such as:
- pollen
- dust mites
- pet dander
- cigarette smoke
- household cleaners
In addition, some people are more prone to flare-ups after participating in physical activity. This is known as exercise-induced asthma.
Emotional and medical factors can also trigger asthma complications.
A doctor can help you identify your individual asthma triggers. Knowing them can help you manage your asthma. Keep a record of each attack or flare-up to pinpoint the underlying cause.
Insomnia and sleep deprivation
Some people with asthma experience most of their symptoms during the night, known as nocturnal asthma.
This can lead to sleep deprivation, which can negatively affect your overall health and contribute to other health conditions, including increasing the risk of diabetes and reducing your immune system function. It can also increase your risk for depression.
Learn how to sleep with asthma.
Lack of exercise
Asthma may prevent some people from participating in exercise or sports. Though exercise can trigger asthma, it can also help strengthen the lungs and cardiovascular system.
Not getting enough exercise can increase the risk of:
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- weight gain
- depression
Medication side effects
Treating asthma frequently involves medications like glucocorticoids and leukotriene inhibitors.
These medications
- rapid heartbeat
- hoarseness
- throat irritation
- oral thrush, a type of oral yeast infection
- insomnia
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- increased eye pressure, which can worsen glaucoma
- osteoporosis and worsening postmenopausal osteoporosis
If you find you need to use prescribed asthma medications more frequently or they aren’t managing your symptoms as well as in the past, it’s best to talk with a doctor. They may recommend changes to your treatment plan.
Airway remodeling
For some people, asthma causes ongoing chronic inflammation of the airway. This can lead to permanent structural changes in the airways, known as airway remodeling. Airway remodeling includes all the alterations in structural cells and tissues in an asthmatic airway. Changes in the airway can lead to:
- loss of lung function
- chronic cough
- airway wall thickening
- increased mucous glands and mucus production
- increased blood supply in the airways
Asthma attack and respiratory failure
People with severe asthma also have an increased risk for respiratory failure. Respiratory failure occurs when not enough oxygen travels from the lungs to the blood.
Life threatening asthma is rare, but it tends to cause symptoms that get progressively worse over several days. Ask your doctor more about your treatment options and how to manage your condition if you believe you may have severe or unmanaged asthma.
If respiratory failure isn’t treated immediately, it can lead to death.
Recovery from respiratory illness
If you experience asthma complications, it’s best to contact your doctor as soon as possible. If your symptoms are severe or concerning, seek emergency medical attention.
At the hospital, you may be given oxygen through a face mask or nasal tube. You may also need a fast-acting medication or a dose of steroids.
If your asthma attack is severe, the doctor may insert a breathing tube into your airway to maintain airflow into your lungs. You will be monitored closely and given appropriate treatment to help you recover.
It’s important to follow your treatment plan closely to help manage your asthma symptoms and prevent exacerbations.
Asthma can be a serious condition, but with proper care, it’s possible to live a healthy, active life. Treatment can help you manage your symptoms.
It’s important to know when to talk with a doctor if you have asthma complications. Consider making an appointment if you have asthma symptoms with little or no exertion or if the frequency of your symptoms increases and you have to use an inhaler more often. Your doctor may need to adjust your treatment.