When Should Someone Seek Medical Care?

If someone has had symptoms of asthma, talking with a doctor is important. A doctor will ask questions about that person's symptoms, medical history, and medications.

The doctor will also perform breathing tests or blood tests to search for and rule out other causes of the symptoms (not all wheezing is asthma). A chest X-ray may also be taken to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

If a person does have asthma, he or she will need to work out an action plan with the doctor in order to be prepared for an asthma attack.

Anyone who feels acutely short of breath or feels that he or she may be in respiratory distress should immediately seek care in an emergency department. This is also true for people with asthma who feel their symptoms are worse than usual or are not responding to usual treatment.