Breathing Difficulties and Asthma

In a first aid situation you are likely to encounter a victim who has breathing difficulties. Psychological stress may trigger breathing problems that affect the blood's chemical composition, causing a range of symptoms that make the victim feel unwell. Accidents that include a heavy impact to the chest can cause injuries that result in severe breathing difficulties.

HYPERVENTILATION. This is a breathing difficulties that may be triggered by the stress of an accident or some other form of emotional shock. The person over-breathes, causing the level of carbon dioxide in the blood to drop. This leads to a combination of the signs and symptoms listed below:

• Fast, shallow breathing
• Feeling of tangling in the limbs
• Dizziness
• Cramps
• Panic attacks

TREATMENT

1. If the victim is otherwise uninjured, remove her from the scene of the accident to a quite place where there is no audience. People who are hyperventilating often subconsciously react to onlookers, making themselves worse.
2. Reassure the victim but remain calm and speak firmly. Encourage the victim to regain control of her breathing.
3. If the situation persists, and you are certain that there is no other underlying condition such as asthma or chest injury, let the victim inhale her own breathed-out air from a paper bag. This air contains more carbon dioxide, which will help restore the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
4. Call a doctor or ambulance if symptoms do not disappear. Do not slap the victim-- she may become violent and attack you, and you run the risk of being charged with assault.

CHEST INJURIES. Serious injuries following an accident, or the aftermath of any illness causing problems with breathing can lead to the lung collapsing. Air enters the space between the lung and the chest wall, making breathing very difficult. In severe cases, the pressure affects the uninjured lung and the heart, causing a tension pneumothorax, a condition requiring urgent medical attention if the victim is to survive.

     Chest injuries with more than one broken rib will often result in the victim having difficulty in breathing as the chest wall is unable to move effectively. There may also be an open break on the chest wall where ribs have sprung out. Remember that the ribs extend around the back and there may be injuries here as well as on the front.

     Chest injuries may be accompanied by a sucking wound to the chest. Here there is a direct passage between the outside and the lungs, often caused by a puncture injury from a sharp object pushing through the chest wall.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COLLAPSED LUNG AND OTHER CHEST INJURIES

• History of chest impact or recent illness affecting breathing
• Chest rises as the person breathes out (paradoxical breathing)
• Swelling or indentation along the line of the ribs
• Open fractures
• Difficulty in breathing
• Pain on breathing
• Shock, as there is likely to be some degree of internal bleeding
• Bright red, frothy blood coming from the mouth and/or nose. (This is an indication of punctured lung because oxygenated blood is escaping from the respiratory system. There may or may not be associated sucking wound to the chest.)
• Sucking wound to the chest

TREATMENT. Ensure that an early call for emergency medical help has been made. If the victim is conscious, she will often find it easier to breathe if sitting up. Help her into a sitting-up position if possible and provide support to remain in this position comfortably. If you can determine the side of the injury, lean the victim to breathe a little easier.

     If there is an open sucking wound to the chest, cover this up as soon as possible. The best cover comes from using plastic sealed on three sides over the wound area. Help the victim remove blood from her mouth. If the person becomes unconscious, place into the recovery position on the injured side and monitor breathing carefully. Treat any open wound once the person is in the recovery position. Treat any broken ribs.

ASTHMA
Asthma attacks cause the muscle of the air passages to go into spasm, making it very difficult for the asthmatic to breathe, particularly to exhale. Attacks may be triggered by an allergy or by stress; for example, being involved in an accident. Sometimes the cause of the attacks for a particular sufferer is never identified. There is evidence to suggest that asthma appears to be increasing in frequency, or at least in diagnosis.

TREATMENT
An asthma attack should not be underestimated. While the preventive treatments are very effective, and the drugs to relieve attacks usually work very well, left untreated, a serious attack can be fatal. The strain of a serious asthma attack can cause the breathing to stop or the heart to cease beating. You should be prepared to resuscitate if necessary.

1. Reassure the victim as this will have a positive effect on his breathing.
2. Help the victim into a sitting position, leaning slightly forward, as most people with asthma find this an easier position for breathing.
3. If the victim has medication, enable him to use it. Inhalers are the main form of treatment.

If this is the first attack, the medication does not work within 5 minutes, or the victim is in severe distress, then call an ambulance. Help the victim to take medication every 5 to 10 minutes.

     If the attack ease and the person finds it easier to breathe, he will not need immediate medical attention but should advise a doctor of the attack. A person will often be very tired following an attack so it is best to ensure that he is accompanied home to rest.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• History of the condition (although some people may not realize that they are asthmatic and the first attack may be a very severe one).
• Difficulty in breathing, particularly breathing out
• Wheezing or otherwise noisy breathing 
• Inability to speak
• Pale skin and potential blueness, particularly around the lips, caused by lack of oxygen
• Distress, dizziness, and  confusion as it becomes harder to get oxygen into the body
• Unconsciousness and then breathing stopping

USING AN INHALER

Known asthmatics are usually prescribed an inhaler, a device that administers a measured dose of drugs inhaled directly into the lungs, where it will have a near-instant effect.

     Young children may find it hard to use an ordinary aerosol inhaler and will need a spacer instead. Medication is put into the end of the spacer and the child breathes normally to take this in.

     Children under the age of four will usually require a face mask to use with the spacer as they cannot coordinate their breathing to inhale the drugs.

     If a member of your family is an asthmatic, make sure that everyone understands the importance of knowing where the inhaler is and that there is always enough medication in the house.

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Frederick Luneta is a 24-year old guy and he is a Computer Engineering student and a young part time blogger. Currently lives in the Philippines. He knows a lot about computer.