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| WHAT IS EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA? |
| Asthma is a lung condition that causes wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Exercise-induced asthma is a form of asthma that some people have during or after physical activity. |
| HOW DOES IT OCCUR? |
| In a person with asthma, the small airways of the lungs go into spasm or constrict. In exercise asthma, this can occur: |
| During or after physical activity (usually when breathing is hard, heavy, or fast) |
| When the air temperature is cold |
| When the humidity level is either very low or very high |
| When there is a lot of air pollution |
| When there are a lot of allergens in the air |
| For many people, winter sports such as cross country skiing, or bicycling in the cold air may trigger symptoms. |
| WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? |
| Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma include: |
| - wheezing |
| - coughing |
| - shortness of breath |
| - chest tightness |
| - fatigue |
| - decreased athletic performance |
| HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED? |
| Your health care provider will ask about your history of breathing problems during or after exercise. He or she may ask you to run on a treadmill, or to exercise outside the office. When you return, your health care provider will then listen to your lungs with a stethoscope to see if you are wheezing after exercise. |
| Your health care provider may give you a small device called a peak-flow meter, which measures how fast you can exhale air in one breath. During a bout of exercise-induced asthma, this measurement will decrease from your normal measurement. |
| HOW IS EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA TREATED? |
| Exercise-induced asthma can be successfully treated with medication. The type of medication usually tried first is an inhaled bronchodilator. Examples of this medication are albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil) and pirbuterol (Maxair). Your health care provider will instruct you to take two puffs of this medication about 15 to 30 minutes before your activity. If your provider tells you to, you may also use this medication during your activity if you begin to experience symptoms. |
| HOW CAN I TAKE CARE OF MYSELF? |
| Know what triggers your asthma. Some people have most symptoms during strenuous activity in cold, dry air. During the winter you may need to exercise indoors, or to wear a mask when exercising outdoors. Wearing a mask warms the air before you inhale it. Breathing through your nose warms the air more than mouth breathing, and may help prevent exercise-induced asthma. |
| You may also need to be aware of conditions such as air pollution or allergens (such as dust or pollen). Doing warm-up exercises before a vigorous workout may help prevent an asthma attack. Many people, including successful athletes, have exercise-induced asthma. Proper education, use of medication, and activity modification should allow you to remain healthy and physically fit. |
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