Does warm water help an asthma attack?

Every day at MyAsthmaCentral.com we get lots of asthma related questions. Below are some questions I thought my readers at the RT Cave would enjoy.

Your Question: My daughter woke up feeling congested and short of breath. I told her to drink a cup of hot water and that relieved her symptoms. Is that considered an asthma attack. She was recently diagnosed with mild asthma. I read about how hot drinks can relieve asthma symptoms.

My humble answer:That's possible. Some asthma attacks can come and go that quickly. It's great that you recognized the signs and knew your options. Make a note about this event in your daughters asthma diary, that warm water worked, the date, and discuss this with your child's pediatrician at your next vist.

Asthma is quite often known as a disease of the night, so it's not uncommon for a child with asthma to wake up congested, short of braeth, or coughing.

Your Question: Does warm water help an asthma attack?

My humble answer: The first thing you should do during an asthma attack is get away from whatever triggered your asthma and relax. Then many experts recommend drinking a warm glass of water to help thin secretions. Sometimes this alone works to stop an asthma attack. If it does not, then you should follow the rest of your asthma action plan (use rescue medicine and seek help if necessary). Cold water can actually make the spasms in your lungs worse, and milk products may thicken secretions.