What should you know about sudden coughing and wheezing?

Wheezing is a musical or whistling sound caused by air moving through narrowed airways. A sudden episode may follow a viral illness such as acute bronchitis, an asthma flare, an allergic trigger, smoke, dust, or another irritant. Allergic rhinitis can add nasal symptoms, while COPD can cause recurring cough and breathlessness. In babies and young children, bronchiolitis is another possibility. Anaphylaxis can cause rapid airway swelling and is an emergency.

Sit upright, move away from smoke or a suspected trigger, and loosen tight clothing. If you have a prescribed reliever inhaler or an agreed asthma plan, follow those instructions. Do not borrow someone else’s inhaler. Keep track of onset, exposure, fever, chest tightness, mucus, and how easily you can speak. A clinician may assess oxygen levels, listen to your chest, and decide whether inhaled treatment or a nebuliser treatment is appropriate.

Call emergency services for severe breathlessness, inability to speak full sentences, blue or grey lips, throat or tongue swelling, faintness, confusion, or rapidly worsening wheeze. Treat sudden wheezing after food, medicine, or an insect sting as possible anaphylaxis, especially with hives, vomiting, or dizziness. Same-day assessment is needed for a first episode, chest pain, high fever, or symptoms that do not settle with your prescribed plan.

What may have triggered this episode? Do I need an inhaler plan or breathing tests? Which symptoms mean I should call emergency services, and when would nebuliser treatment be considered?