Try breathing through a piece of licorice for ten minutes straight — that’s what an asthma flare-up can feel like

Huh? As-what? Oh, you didn’t know asthma wasn’t spelled “azma”? Okay, so it’s spelled asthma, with a silent “th.” Now let’s describe what it is. In short, it’s a lung condition that makes it hard for us to breathe. No one knows exactly what causes asthma, but it’s likely a combination of environment and genetics. It’s not contagious, but it could run in families. Try breathing through a piece of licorice for ten minutes straight — that’s what an asthma flare-up can feel like.

With regular (non-asthmatic) breathing, air goes in through the nose or mouth, into the trachea (windpipe), then through the bronchial tubes (airways), into the lungs, and finally back out again. For people with asthma, the airways are swollen or inflamed and somewhat clogged. Inflamed airways are very sensitive, so things like smoke, dust, pollen, or things that trigger allergic reactions can make the muscles around them tighten up. All this makes breathing much more difficult.

My motto has become, “It’s not in my head, it’s in my lungs.” That was born out of the frustration of having people tell me I was making excuses if I chose not to do activities that could trigger a flare-up (in my case, very intense exercise or sports, not including normal exercise, which is actually great for me!) or walking in freezing cold outside air. “Distract yourself, and it will go away,” some people tell me. Or, “Don’t focus on it.” It’s pretty funny, if you think about it — if someone has a cast on their leg, can they just take off the cast and walk if they “don’t focus on it”? Not really! Same thing, just one you can see, one you can’t.

If you think about it, if someone has a cast on his leg, can he just take off the cast and walk if he “doesn't focus on it”? Not really! Same thing, just one you can see, one you can’t.

For the most part, asthmatics adjust to living with asthma. We take medication, avoid triggers to the best of our ability (we can’t really avoid catching the flu or even a cold), and know what causes flare-ups. It’s totally normal, common, and manageable, kind of the same way someone who wears glasses has a chronic condition that is managed and he gets used to it.

If I’m having an asthma attack (with coughing or wheezing), it’s an asthma attack. It’s not an anxiety or panic attack, so telling me to stay calm isn’t helpful or necessary. If it’s mild, please make sure I have my inhaler nearby or go get it for me. That inhaler usually does the trick. If it’s severe, and you see the inhaler isn’t helping, and I’m really having trouble breathing or my lips are turning blue, please go call an adult.  Make sure no one tries to get me to lie down — I need to be upright.

Thank you Y.E.G. for this contribution!

(Originally featured in Teen Pages, Issue 898)