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For a long time, common thought was that exercise induced asthma was an altogether different variety of the condition than allergy induced asthma. In the past several years, research has shown otherwise, however.
Exercise induced asthma is brought on by physical exertion, and results in coughing, wheezing and being short of breath. It is caused by inflammation of the lungs and the bronchial tissue, which can then trigger muscle spasms in the muscles around the bronchial tube resulting in even more difficult catching your breath.
People who normally don’t show any signs of asthma can sometimes trigger it with exercise. It could be due to a change in their breathing patter or because people who suffer from this type of asthma are often more sensitive to changes in atmosphere.
Because your breathing rate increases with exercise, and often becomes shallower, more allergens can be inhaled and the air has less time to warm up when you breathe it in. At rest, we normally breathe via our nose which will help to warm the air prior to it reaching the lungs.
When exercising, most people breathe through their mouths, so the air doesn’t warm up as much. This cooler, drier air can be more irritating to the lungs.
There are some steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of an asthma attack during exercise.
First, if you use an inhaler, do so about 15-20 minutes before exercising. This will help to relax the muscles surrounding your bronchial tubes which will help to lessen the chances of them being irritated by any changes in your breathing.
Spend a little extra time to get warmed up before starting to exercise. Preparing your body ahead of time for the changes in breathing will help acclimatize it and can often avoid an asthma attack altogether. Make sure you also take time to cool down after exercising, for similar reasons.
Try to avoid exercising outside when the weather is colder, but if you have no choice make sure you wear a scarf or mask over your mouth and nose. This will help to keep the air warmer as you breathe.
Also try to stay away from outdoor exercise during pollen season or when the air quality is not good. Combined with the changes in breathing during exercise, these things are quite likely to trigger an asthma attack.
