A good workout should get your heart pumping faster and elevate your breathing rate, but wheezing with exercise is not a normal condition. If you suddenly develop wheezing during or after a workout, you may need a medical evaluation to see if you have an undiagnosed medical condition.
Wheezing
Wheezing is a whistling sound that accompanies breathing. Typically, the sound becomes most obvious when you exhale, but it can also be heard while inhaling. In most cases, wheezing develops because airways in your lungs, called bronchial tubes, become constricted, making it more difficult to get air to your lungs.
Causes
One common cause of wheezing during exercise is asthma, particularly exercise-induced asthma, notes the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. However, other medical conditions can also cause wheezing with physical activity. For example, if you have recently had bronchitis, pneumonia or other respiratory tract infections, you may experience wheezing even after other symptoms have subsided. People who smoke also often experience wheezing.
When to See a Doctor
If you suddenly develop wheezing during exercise and have never previously experienced the condition -- and do not have asthma -- visit your health practitioner to be evaluated, advises MedlinePlus. Some people can develop exercise-induced asthma later in life, or develop wheezing secondary to another condition. In some cases, the wheezing may be serious enough to require immediate medical attention. If you experience wheezing along with shortness of breath, or develop bluish-colored skin, mental confusion or a change in mental status, visit your nearest emergency room, calling 911 if necessary.
Treatment
If you have asthma, wheezing can typically be treated with rescue inhalers designed to open up airways and allow air to more easily reach the lungs. In such cases, always carry an inhaler with you, especially when you are exercising. You may also need to take controller medications to help prevent asthma attacks. In addition, warm up and cool down to help prevent or decrease the severity of exercise-induced asthma symptoms, advises the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. If you have not been diagnosed with asthma and do not have an inhaler, try sitting in a room with warm, steamy air, such as a bathroom with the shower running, to help get the wheezing under control, advises MedlinePlus.
