Same-day illness
Asthma flare-ups
We see asthma flare-ups the same day. A flare that is caught early usually settles with a short course of treatment; one left for several days often needs much more. If your rescue inhaler is not lasting four hours, that is the point to call rather than wait.
Come in if you have
- Your rescue inhaler is not lasting four hours
- Using it more than usual for more than a day or two
- Waking at night with cough, wheeze or tightness
- A cold has settled on your chest
- Peak flow readings dropping, if you measure them
What happens at your visit
- We check your oxygen level, breathing, and listen to your chest.
- We measure peak flow where useful and compare it to your normal.
- We treat the flare — usually a short steroid course, and sometimes more.
- We work out what set it off, and adjust your daily plan so the next one is less likely.
Early is much easier than late
The difference between a flare caught on day one and one left for four days is substantial. Early, it usually settles with a short steroid course. Late, it can mean a much longer recovery, or hospital.
The problem is that flares build gradually enough to be talked yourself out of. The markers below exist so you do not have to judge it by feel.
Call when
- Your rescue inhaler is not lasting four hours
- You are using it more than usual for more than a day or two
- Asthma is waking you at night — a reliable sign of poor control
- Your peak flow is dropping, if you track it
- You have caught a cold and have asthma — do not wait for it to worsen
Steroid tablets
A short course is the standard treatment for a genuine flare, and it works well. People are often wary because of what they have heard about long-term steroids, but a five-day course is a different proposition entirely.
What does matter: needing them more than once or twice a year means your daily treatment is not doing its job. That is a reason to review the plan, not a reason to keep having flares.
After the flare
The flare is the visible part; preventing the next one is the useful part. Come back once you have recovered and we will look at what triggered it, whether your preventer inhaler and technique are right, and whether the action plan needs changing.
Call 911 if
Your rescue inhaler is not helping, you cannot finish a sentence, your lips or fingertips look blue, you are too breathless to walk, or you feel exhausted from the effort of breathing. Do not drive yourself.
Common questions
- When should I call rather than wait?
- When your rescue inhaler is not lasting four hours, when you need it several times a day for more than a day or two, or when asthma is waking you at night. Those are the early markers, and acting on them is far easier than recovering from a full attack.
- Will I need steroid tablets?
- Often, for a genuine flare. A short course brings inflammation down quickly and is very effective. Short courses do not carry the risks people associate with long-term steroids — but needing them repeatedly is a sign your daily treatment needs reviewing.
- Why did this happen when I have been fine?
- Most commonly a viral infection. Also allergies, air quality, smoke, cold air, exercise, stress, and running out of or stopping a preventer inhaler. Identifying it changes what we do next.
- When is it a 911 situation?
- If your rescue inhaler is not working at all, you cannot speak a full sentence, your lips or fingertips look blue, or you are struggling to breathe. Call 911 — do not drive yourself and do not wait to see if it settles.
This page explains how we care for this condition at our office. It is general information, not medical advice for your specific situation — please talk to us about your own care.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call us or send a request and we will get you in — often the same or next day.