What to do during an asthma attack without an inhaler

Move away from smoke, fumes or another obvious trigger, loosen restrictive clothing and try to take steady breaths. Do not wait for severe symptoms before seeking help, because there is no home substitute that reliably opens narrowed asthma airways.

During an asthma flare, airway muscles tighten, the lining swells and mucus may further obstruct airflow. A prescribed reliever is intended to relax airway muscle quickly. Sitting upright may ease the work of breathing, but it does not treat the airway narrowing.

Coffee, steam, breathing exercises and over-the-counter cough products should not delay medical care. Avoid using another person’s inhaler because the medicine, device or dose may not be appropriate and sharing can obscure how serious the episode is.

Tell someone nearby that you are having breathing difficulty and ask them to stay with you. Sit upright rather than lying down, stop exertion, and leave the trigger area if you can do so safely. Contact urgent medical services for instructions and access to appropriate treatment.

If a prescribed spare reliever can be brought promptly, use it exactly as your personal action plan directs while help is being arranged. Never travel alone or drive yourself when breathlessness is substantial.

Call local emergency services immediately for gasping, rapidly worsening breathlessness, inability to speak comfortably, blue or grey lips, confusion, marked drowsiness or collapse. A person with significant asthma symptoms and no access to their reliever also needs urgent professional assessment.

Keep the person upright, stay with them and follow any instructions from the emergency call handler. If they become unresponsive and are not breathing normally, begin emergency resuscitation if you know how and use an available defibrillator as directed.

Ask for a written asthma action plan, a check of inhaler technique and advice on keeping prescribed treatment accessible at home, work or school. Discuss refill timing, device counters or expiry checks, and whether worsening symptoms show that preventer treatment needs reassessment.