Breathing difficulties refer to a sensation characterized as a feeling of discomfort or pain that occurs when breathing and is associated with the feeling of not being able to get enough air, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Predicting the occurrence of breathing problems can be difficult, but breathing difficulty often might be seen in patients performing some form of exercise, such as jogging.
Jogging and Breathing Difficulties
Physical activity forces your body to work at a high level. Your body's typical response to exercise includes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. Often, jogging for a long time can cause your body to burn much of its energy and excess oxygen. In response, your body requires you to breath more rapidly to increase the amount of oxygen you are taking in. Your lungs can take in only a limited amount of air per breath, and the increased need for oxygen can trigger breathing problems, especially if you also are suffering from heart or lung disease.
Heart Disease
Difficulty breathing during exercise often points to some form of heart disease, the American Academy of Family Physicians reports. Exercises such as jogging force your heart to pump more blood to your muscles, but if you are suffering from heart disease, your heart is unable to meet this requirement. This often results in breathing problems, or dyspnea. Your doctor might ask you to take a treadmill stress test to confirm the diagnosis. The test will detect whether that while jogging your heart is undergoing abnormal functions as a result of heart disease.
Exercise-Induced Asthma
Asthma is a chronic condition that causes your airways to become inflamed and filled with mucus. KidsHealth.com reports that approximately 90 percent of all people with asthma suffer breathing difficulties when exercising. Some patients experience asthma attacks only when performing physical activities, such as jogging. This form of breathing difficulty is termed exercise-induced asthma, or EIA. During a jog, you might notice that you are having difficulty taking in oxygen. As the condition worsens, you will begin to notice a pain or discomfort in your lungs, which progressively gets worse. At the onset of this breathing difficulty, you should stop jogging and seek medical attention.
Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm
Bronchospasm is a disorder signified by severe narrowing of the bronchial airways. In some cases, exercise can cause bronchospasm and is termed exercise-induced bronchospasm, or EIB, Cleveland.com explains. The exact cause of EIB has yet to be established. The rapid breathing you develop during jogging can cause the airways to dry out, which in turn causes the airways to constrict and narrow. Direct injury to the cells of the bronchi, a condition called bronchitis, also can cause EIB. EIB typically causes you to wheeze, cough and develop chest tightness when jogging.
Treatment
Typically, treatment depends on the underlying cause. If you are suffering from heart disease, or have a new onset of breathing difficulties while jogging, consult a physician for diagnosis and treatment. For exercise-induced asthma or bronchospasm, your doctor might prescribe medications such as albuterol, which can help prevent breathing difficulties. Typically, these medications are taken 15 to 20 minutes prior to exercising, Cleveland.com reports.
