Bronchial spasm is a pathological condition in which the muscles of the bronchi begin to contract involuntarily, which leads to a decrease in the lumen in them.
This stops the flow of oxygen into the body and the elimination of carbon dioxide. The patient has difficulties when exhaling and inhaling air, a feeling of heaviness is created.
There are many reasons for the occurrence of such attacks, it can be an allergy or a respiratory disease.
What is bronchospasm
This pathological condition is a reaction to any stimulus. An involuntary muscle contraction occurs in the bronchi, which reduces the lumen of the airways, as a result, it becomes harder to breathe.
A person’s breathing becomes difficult, a sufficient amount of oxygen does not get into the lungs, suffocation may occur. To make up for the lack of oxygen, the patient begins to breathe actively.
At this time, immediate help is required, you need to relieve the attack as soon as possible and normalize breathing.
Forms of bronchospasm
There are several forms of bronchospasm:
- With the ability to restore breathing with medications.
- With irreversible bronchial obstruction.
Also, bronchospasm can be:
- Partial – there are areas in the lungs that have retained their functions.
- Total – muscle spasm engulfed all bronchi.
Causes of bronchospasm and risk factors
Most often, bronchospasm is observed in patients with bronchial asthma. However, pathology can arise as a result:
- obstructive bronchitis – this type is mainly found in people with allergies;
- bronchiolitis – often diagnosed in children as a consequence of viral infections and respiratory diseases that affect the small bronchi and alveoli. The disease is very rapid and can lead to the development of pneumonia;
- allergies – this can be rhinitis, food or household allergies. With these diseases, the bronchi become especially sensitive to any negative influences. As a result, bronchospasm begins to manifest itself when exposed to allergens. With such a disease, you should undergo an examination and eliminate all risks so that the disease does not lead to asthma;
- cystic fibrosis is a congenital disease due to which the formation of bronchial secretions is disrupted;
- cardiac asthma – the reaction of the bronchi occurs due to stagnation of blood in the pulmonary capillaries;
- getting into the respiratory tract of a foreign body. Bronchospasm occurs against the background of overlap of the lumen by a foreign object, edema of the walls of the bronchi. Sharp objects that can damage mucous membranes and cause increased mucus production are especially dangerous;
- poisoning – bronchospasm occurs during vomiting, when small particles can enter the bronchi and lead to irritation of the mucous membrane. Most often occurs in children;
- constant stress;
- exposure to adverse weather conditions.
Risk factors:
- Hereditary predisposition to respiratory diseases.
- Frequent colds in childhood, bronchitis and adenoids.
- Features of the development of the respiratory tract, due to which insufficient cleansing of the bronchi from the secretion accumulated there is possible.
In people prone to allergies, the predisposing factors for the development of the disease are:
- Acute respiratory and viral diseases.
- Frequent contact with allergens.
- Taking certain medications (penicillin, beta-blockers to lower blood pressure, and others).
- Second hand smoke.
- Excessive physical activity.
Symptoms of bronchospasm
Contraction of the muscles of the bronchi with a negative effect on them is a reaction to an irritant. With bronchospasm, the muscles do not relax for a long time, this leads to increased blood flow, swelling of the mucous membrane and narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi.
As a result, respiratory failure develops. If urgent measures are not taken to relieve the attack, oxygen deprivation begins, which can be fatal.
The main symptoms of an attack are:
- Constant feeling of lack of air, heaviness in the chest.
- Shortness of breath, i.e. short inhalation and long exhalation.
- Violent cough, rarely with expectoration.
- Blanching of the skin.
- Heart palpitations.
- Profuse perspiration.
- Noisy wheezing.
The patient at such moments is in a tense state, his body is slightly tilted forward with support on his hands, and his head is retracted.
There are symptoms of an attack, by which one can judge the approaching pathology:
- Sneezing with profuse mucus from the nose.
- Redness of the eyes, itchy skin.
- Coughing.
- Cephalalgia.
- Frequent urge to use the toilet.
- Weakness, apathy.
Even by the appearance of a person, one can understand that he has a bronchial spasm: it is difficult for him to breathe, the respiratory muscles are working hard.
In patients with asthma, such attacks can occur for any reason, be it a runny nose or contact with an allergen. In obstructed bronchitis, a choking cough may come on suddenly.
At first, a person suffers from severe shortness of breath, after which suffocation appears and the inability to take a full breath. Wheezing in the lungs is clearly audible.
Possible complications and consequences
With prolonged bronchospasm, the body may be poisoned with carbon dioxide, which is not excreted from the body.
Respiratory failure leads to an increase in lung volume, lack of oxygen in the blood, stagnation of blood in the superior and inferior vena cava, cardiac arrest and blood circulation.
In the absence of emergency assistance, the patient’s death is possible!
Diagnostics
To identify the causes of respiratory failure, a thorough diagnosis is required:
- To begin with, the patient is examined to detect edema, arterial hypertension, etc. Patients have an incomplete release of air from the lungs during exhalation, as well as resistance to inhalation.
- Anamnesis is collected, which helps to find out what caused the disease.
- Hardware research:
- spirometry – used to detect possible obstruction of the lungs;
- peak flowmetry – allows you to determine how narrowed the bronchi.
- bodyplethysmography – helps to obtain information about the state of the respiratory and gas exchange functions of the lungs.
Treatment of bronchospasm
Medication only relieves symptoms and prevents the unpleasant consequences of the disease. The main thing is to eliminate the cause of the seizures.
Treatment for bronchospasm includes:
- taking bronchodilator drugs that relax the muscles of the bronchi, this helps to relieve an attack;
- the use of inhalers with hormonal agents that dilate the bronchi, relieve spasms and inflammation;
- the use of glucocorticosteroids ;
- frequent and warm drinking, the use of expectorant drugs that help remove phlegm.
If such treatment does not give results within an hour, you should consult a doctor. The patient undergoes further treatment in a hospital under the close supervision of specialists.
In each case, the treatment will be different, but the main thing is to exclude contact with the factors that caused the spasm. If it is an allergy, then you need to go out into the fresh air, rinse your nose and rinse your throat.
Bronchospasm in asthma requires immediate medication that relieves the spasm and expands the lumen in the bronchi. After half an hour, you can take expectorant drugs.
Urgent Care
First aid for bronchospasm is as follows:
Open the window for fresh air. You should be careful if the disease is caused by allergens that are on the street (pollen, odor, etc.).
- Call an ambulance.
- If the attack did not happen for the first time, then you should take drugs that will help relieve the spasm.
- Calm down, it is more comfortable to sit down.
- Breathe evenly, without worry, because panic will only aggravate the condition.
Asthmatics should always have drugs in their medicine cabinet to relieve bronchospasm. They help to increase the lumen in the bronchi, relax muscles, relieve swelling of the mucous membrane and allow sputum to drain. These drugs include:
- Sympathomimetics in the form of inhalers.
- Glucocorticosteroids are hormonal drugs that come in the form of a spray or solution for inhalation.
- Antiallergic.
- Holinoblockers for inhalation.
All medications must be prescribed by a competent physician. Self-medication in this case is strictly prohibited.
Treatment after relief of an attack
Once the attack has been relieved, treatment should continue. This is necessary to eliminate the causes that caused it.
- If it was a respiratory infection, then antibiotics and antiviral drugs, inhalation are prescribed.
- For allergies – antihistamines, glucocorticosteroids .
Prevention
To prevent the re-development of bronchospasm in a child and an adult, it is necessary to take measures to prevent:
- timely treat viral and infectious diseases that can serve as factors in the development of bronchial spasms;
- avoid excessive physical activity;
- control your mental and emotional state;
- to refuse from bad habits.
- if possible, exclude the adverse effects of the environment.
To prevent such spasms during and after surgery, a course of desensitizing therapy using antihistamines and corticosteroids is prescribed .
During surgery, general anesthesia with ventilation of the lungs is shown, which will help to normalize gas exchange.
Bronchial spasms are a serious and dangerous condition that can be fatal. The first symptoms should be the reason for seeking medical attention.
Patients with obstructive bronchitis and asthma should take care of their health and undergo regular medical examinations.
Any contact with allergens should be excluded, not to be in places with a large crowd of people during periods of epidemics, and if there are any signs of a cold, immediately start treatment.