Exercise-induced asthma, also known as exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, is a breathing disorder caused by physical activity. In this blog post, we will explain the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of exercise induced asthma, which affects people with asthma as well as those who do not have it.
Exercise induced asthma occurs when the airways in the lungs become narrow and inflamed in response to exercise. This can happen for several reasons:
Exercise makes you breathe faster and deeper, which exposes your lungs to more dry and cool air. This can irritate the airways and trigger asthma symptoms.
Exercise can also increase your exposure to allergens, such as pollen, dust, or animal dander, that can cause an allergic reaction in your airways.
Exercise can also cause stress or anxiety, which can affect your breathing and make your airways more sensitive.
The symptoms of exercise induced asthma usually start within 5 to 20 minutes of starting exercise, and may last for up to an hour after stopping. They include:
Coughing
Wheezing
Chest tightness
Shortness of breath
Mucus production
Chest pain (rare)
The severity of the symptoms may vary depending on the type, intensity, and duration of exercise, as well as the environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and air quality.
To diagnose exercise induced asthma, your doctor will ask you about your medical history, your symptoms, and your exercise habits. They may also perform some tests, such as:
A physical exam, to check your lungs and heart.
A spirometry test, to measure how much air you can breathe in and out, and how fast.
A bronchoprovocation test, to see how your airways react to a substance that causes them to narrow, such as methacholine or histamine.
An exercise challenge test, to see how your airways react to exercise. You will be asked to exercise on a treadmill or a bike, while your lung function is monitored.
The treatment of exercise induced asthma aims to prevent and relieve the symptoms, and to improve your lung function and quality of life. It may include:
Anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce swelling and mucus in the airways, and bronchodilators, which relax the muscles around the airways and make breathing easier. Your doctor may recommend that you take these medications before, during, or after exercising.
It is possible that you will need to use either a short-acting inhaler, which works quickly to relieve symptoms, or a long-acting inhaler, which works over a longer period of time to prevent symptoms.
It is possible that you need to use a nebulizer if your symptoms are severe or if you have trouble using an inhaler. Nebulizers turn liquid medications into a fine mist that you can breathe in through a mask or mouthpiece.
A doctor may recommend allergy shots to help your body build up immunity to the allergens that trigger your asthma. You may need to get these shots regularly for several months or years.
The best way to prevent exercise induced asthma is to avoid or reduce the factors that trigger it. You can do this by:
It is important to choose the right type of exercise. Running, cycling, and swimming are more likely to cause asthma symptoms than others. Alternatively, you can choose exercises that are less strenuous, like walking, yoga, or tai chi, or that involve short bursts of activity, such as tennis, soccer, or basketball.
To help your lungs adjust to the changes in breathing and temperature, you should always warm up before exercise and cool down after exercise. A warm-up should last at least 10 minutes, and a cool-down should last at least 5 minutes.
While exercising, you should try to breathe through your nose as much as possible in order to warm, moisten, and filter the air entering your lungs. In order to prevent cold and dry air from entering your lungs, you can also wear a scarf or mask.
Avoiding allergens and irritants. Avoid exercising outdoors when the pollen count is high, or when the air quality is poor. Avoid exercising near fires, factories, or roads where there is smoke, dust, or chemicals.
Asthma medications should be taken according to your doctor's instructions, and you should carry your inhaler or nebulizer with you at all times, should you need it during or after exercise.
In spite of the challenges associated with exercise-induced asthma, you can stay healthy and active with proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
