Asthma triggered by exercise, often called exercise-induced asthma or exercise-induce bronchospasm, results in the same tightening of the airways and excess mucus production that characterizes other forms of asthma. Exercise-induced asthma can develop in people who have already been diagnosed with asthma, as well as those who have never experienced the tight-chested grip of asthma under any circumstances. In any case, exercise-induced asthma must be taken seriously because permanent damage or life-or-death emergencies can result if your breathing is severely compromised by asthma while exercising.
Low, But Serious Risk
A study in the October 2005 issue of Clinical Reviews of Allergy and Immunology found that the absolute risk of death from asthma during exercise is "small," but researchers noted that because there is at least a slim risk, your asthma condition and all safety precautions should be taken seriously. Those at risk, albeit a small one, include people with mild to moderate asthma, the study found.
Minimizing Risks
To help lower your risks of life-threatening asthma emergencies during exercise, follow your doctor's guidelines on physical activity and the use of medications and devices such as bronchodilators that help keep your airways open. Don't assume an activity is safe if you are at risk of serious breathing problems. Also, remember that exercising in cold weather is riskier than warmer weather. Exercising in very dry weather and letting your airways get dry is also a risk, because dryness triggers asthma. So avoid exercising outdoors when the air is very dry or there is poor air quality or a high pollen count. MayoClinic.com also suggests breathing in through your nose, to help warm the air as it enters your lungs.
Choose Activities Carefully
If you want to be active, but struggle with asthma, consider sports that require shorter bursts of energy, rather than prolonged periods of exertion such as soccer and long-distance running, advises the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Suggested activities include walking, leisure biking, baseball and short-term track events such as sprints. Discuss your physical fitness challenges and desires with your doctor to come up with effective treatments and compromises where needed.
Recognizing Symptoms
Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and in rare cases, chest pain. Symptoms usually appear within five to 20 minutes of commencing exercise. If you start to have serious trouble breathing and you have no bronchodilator to use, you should call 911 and get to an emergency room. Permanent narrowing of the airways can result from an exercise-related asthma episode.
