Why is wheezing worse when asthmatics exhale

When air moves in and out of our lungs, we call it breathing. The picture below shows what your lungs look like when everything is working normally. The muscles wrapped around the airways are very thin and loose, and the airway is wide open.

This makes it easy to move air in and out of the air sacs. The animation below shows normal breathing. As we breathe in, air that contains lots of oxygen shown in red is pulled into the lungs.

This oxygen slowly moves from the lungs into the blood. What other breathing symptoms have you noticed? Are you taking medications for asthma, such as rescue inhalers or inhaled corticosteroids? Does the wheeze get better after taking them? Are you a current, former, or never smoker? Are you exposed to irritating chemicals at work or at home? Has anyone in the family been sick lately? How often does your child wheeze? Spirometry When the medical history and physical exam point to asthma, your provider will probably want you to do spirometry.

Signs of intermittent asthma are: 7 Symptoms occur two days per week or less. Symptoms do not limit normal activity. Symptoms rarely wake you up at night. Sign up for emails from Asthma. Asthma affects the airways, which are the tubes that transport air in and out of the lungs. When a person has asthma, the airways become overly reactive in response to triggers, such as certain allergens and irritants.

After exposure to a trigger, the following effects occur:. Inspiratory wheezing happens during an inhalation when a person breathes air into the lungs.

Expiratory wheezing occurs during exhalation when a person breathes air out of the lungs. The most common type of wheezing in asthma occurs during exhalation, but it can also happen during inspiration. In people with severe asthma, the extreme reduction of airflow may result in no audible wheezing. Doctors prescribe both short-term and long-term medications for most people. These provide fast relief from wheezing and other symptoms of an asthma attack.

If someone has mild symptoms, they may only require one of these medications to treat the symptoms. The daily use of long-term control medications helps lower inflammation and prevent narrowing in the airways. These effects can help reduce symptoms, including wheezing. Emergency treatment for severe wheezing may include short-acting bronchodilators, steroids, and magnesium. In addition, a person may need oxygen therapy or ventilator support.

Another option is heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen, which can reduce turbulent airflow, making it easier for a person to breathe. The American Lung Association ALA recommends calling a doctor quickly if a person wheezes when they inhale and exhale. The medications typically used in rescue inhalers are called bronchodilators. As the name suggests, they work by dilating expanding and relaxing the airways to allow for a free flow of air. Also known as rapid-acting bronchodilators, these drugs include:.

There are ways to help prevent an asthma attack and the hallmark wheezing and other symptoms of such an episode. Many people with asthma use what is known as a controller inhaler. Most people who use an ICS to control asthma do so on a daily basis, often taking several puffs per day, following a healthcare provider-prescribed, regimented schedule.

According to updated recommendations from the National Institutes of Health NIH for asthma management issued in December , some people with mild persistent asthma may not need to use an inhaler every day but can instead use an ICS intermittently. If you use an ICS every day to control asthma, ask your healthcare provider if the new NIH guidelines might affect your treatment.

You also can help to head off wheezing and other symptoms by avoiding the triggers that cause your asthma flares. Clearly, for this strategy to be effective, you need to identify what your triggers are. For indoor triggers such as mold, dust mites, and pet dander, the NIH recommends using a "multicomponent intervention" based on the specific allergen. Again, your healthcare provider can help you fine-tune any measures you may be taking to mitigate indoor allergens.

Because wheezing is never normal, contact your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if:. If you are already being treated for asthma and you are still wheezing significantly, your asthma action plan may not be working as well as it should or you aren't following it correctly.

When your asthma is well controlled, you should not experience wheezing. In many cases, tweaking a prescription may be all it takes to keep asthma symptoms such as wheezing at bay. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.