Exercise-induced asthma, otherwise known as exercise anaphylaxis, is a condition that causes people to cough, wheeze and feel breathless during or after a vigorous exercise session. In some cases, exercise-induced asthma may also lead to an allergic reaction, which causes the face to swell. These cases must be treated in the emergency room.
Epidemiology of Exercise-Induced Asthma
Physicians first began to report incidences of exercise-induced asthma in the 1970s, when aerobic exercise was first becoming popular in the United States. Kenneth Cooper published his best-selling book, "Aerobics," in 1968. In the 1970s, Jane Fonda stressed the importance of aerobic exercise. Thus, it's possible that incidences of exercise-induced asthma had been occurring long before 1970, but we only began to hear about them after aerobic exercise gained popularity. Nonetheless, since the 1970s, over 1,000 cases have been reported.
Susceptibility
Not everyone is susceptible to exercise-induced asthma, and even susceptible individuals may only experience attacks under certain conditions. These may include specific foods ingested before exercise, airborne dust particles, extreme heat and extreme cold. Some physicians suggest that women are more susceptible during their menstrual cycle.
Symptoms
Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma include coughing, wheezing, feeling out of breath, feeling unusually weak and feeling unusually fatigued.
Treatment and Prevention
If exercise-induced asthma is a chronic condition, it can be treated with a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator, a corticosteroid inhaler or various types of antihistamine. However, it can be prevented by spending at least 15 minutes warming up at an easy pace, preferably under 60 percent of your maximal heart rate.
