Early Asthma Attack Warning - Tickle in the Throat

 There are the basic symptoms of an asthma attack: 

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of Breathe 
• Chest Tightness 

But there are EARLY warning signs of an asthma attack - before you get to those symptoms. 

Tickle in the Throat 

A Tickle in the Throat is one of those early warning asthma symptoms that many people don't know about. This has happened to me all my life. 

My throat will feel twitchy or tickle. I feel like I need to swallow or chew a piece of gum and maybe that will help. 

Then it dawns on me - I am starting an asthma attack. 

The same thing happens to my 3 kids (who also have asthma.) They are all adults now, but when they were little, they were admitted to the hospital a total of 12 times. 2 of those hospital admission were for the ICU (Intensive Care Unit.)

They also have the "tickle in the throat" early warning sign. 

In fact, Son #2 sent a picture of himself using his nebulizer. I asked if he was sick and he said  he felt like he was starting another respiratory infection. 

He said he was on his lunch break, and his throat started to tickle (or get twitchy.) I knew exactly what that meant!

By the time he returned home from work, his asthma was starting to flare - he was starting to cough, wheeze, was short of breathe, and his chest felt tight. 

I realized that many of you may not be familiar with the early warning symptom of  an asthma attack - a twitchy/itchy throat. 

So, now you know. 

If you or a loved one have a twitchy throat, that can be an early sign that an asthma attack is about to start. 

That may give you enough time to find your inhaler or nebulizer and start treating your asthma.