(HealthDay News) -- If you have an asthma attack, it's important to be able to judge its severity.
This information can help evaluate the seriousness of your asthma flare-up:
A little bit of wheezing and mild difficulty breathing during activity indicates a mild asthma attack. When you sit, you should be able to breathe normally and speak in full sentences.
If you have trouble speaking, whether walking or sitting still, you're having a moderate attack. You may need to pause to take a breath just to finish a sentence. Loud wheezing when you exhale also is common.
If you are having a very hard time breathing, that's a sign of a more serious attack. You may also have trouble speaking just a few words without stopping to catch your breath, or feel tense or anxious.
Symptoms of extreme fatigue and confusion indicate a serious attack that needs more than just quick-acting asthma medicine. It requires a trip to the emergency room.
