Quick answer: Yes. Urgent care can treat mild to moderate asthma flare-ups with nebulizer breathing treatments, steroids and a follow-up plan. Come in if your rescue inhaler helps only briefly or you need it more often than usual. Call 911 or go to the ER if you’re struggling to breathe, can’t speak in full sentences, your lips or fingernails look blue or gray, or your rescue inhaler isn’t helping.

Asthma flare-ups are often triggered by colds, flu, RSV, pollen, smoke or cold air. In Northern Virginia, spring and fall pollen seasons and winter virus season are common times for attacks.

New to PACS? Start with our complete guide to urgent care in Alexandria, VA.

Signs of an asthma flare-up

  • Wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing)
  • Coughing, especially at night or with activity
  • Chest tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Needing your rescue inhaler more than usual

When urgent care can help

Come to urgent care if:

  • Your symptoms are mild to moderate and you can still talk normally
  • Your rescue inhaler helps, but symptoms come back within a few hours
  • You need your rescue inhaler more than every 4 hours
  • A cold, flu or RSV is making your asthma worse
  • You ran out of your rescue inhaler during a flare

What treatment looks like

At PACS, the provider will listen to your lungs, check your oxygen level and ask about your triggers and medicines. Treatment may include:

  • Nebulizer treatment: medicine breathed in as a mist to open the airways
  • A steroid (by mouth or injection) to calm airway swelling
  • Testing for flu, COVID-19, RSV or strep if an infection may be the trigger
  • A chest X-ray if pneumonia is possible
  • A plan for the next few days and when to follow up with your regular provider

For self-pay patients, a nebulizer treatment is $99 plus the $139 visit charge.

Call 911 or go to the ER if

  • You’re struggling to breathe or breathing very fast
  • You can’t speak in full sentences
  • The skin between the ribs or at the base of the neck pulls in with each breath
  • Your lips, face or fingernails look blue or gray
  • Your rescue inhaler doesn’t help, or helps for less than an hour
  • You feel drowsy or confused

See more signs that breathing trouble needs the ER.

Asthma in children

Kids may not say they feel short of breath. Watch for fast breathing, a persistent cough, belly breathing, or being too tired to play or eat. PACS sees children of all ages, and nebulizer treatments work well for young kids who can’t use an inhaler easily.

Preventing flare-ups

  • Take controller medicines every day as prescribed, even when you feel well
  • Keep a rescue inhaler with you and check the expiration date
  • Know your triggers. Pollen counts are high in Northern Virginia in spring and fall. See allergy-triggered asthma.
  • Get a yearly flu shot and stay up to date on recommended vaccines
  • Have an asthma action plan from your regular provider

Frequently asked questions

Can urgent care give a breathing treatment?

Yes. PACS offers walk-in nebulizer treatments 7 days a week.

Can urgent care refill my inhaler?

In many cases, yes, especially during a flare. For long-term asthma care, follow up with your primary care provider.

Is wheezing always asthma?

No. Wheezing can also come from bronchitis, RSV, allergies or other conditions. An exam helps find the cause.

Get care today at PACS Urgent Care

PACS Urgent Care – Alexandria
3481 N Beauregard St, Alexandria, VA 22302
Open 7 days a week, 8 AM – 8 PM · Walk-ins welcome
Call (571) 656-8838 · Get directions · New patient guide

This article is for general information and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911.