If you have a burning sensation in your trachea that worsens with exercise, it's possible that you're simply out of shape, but you also might have exercise-induced asthma. Exercising, especially in cold, dry air, can trigger or worsen this type of asthma, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC. See your doctor, who can prescribe medications to control exercise-induced asthma if you have it.
Symptoms
Exercise-induced asthma can cause feelings of tightness or burning in your trachea, the windpipe that moves air from your nose and mouth to your lungs, according to the UMMC. You also may find that you're wheezing or coughing. Your symptoms might appear while you're working out, but they're more likely to appear following exercise. The burning sensation, coughing and other symptoms may take several hours to diminish following exercise.
Diagnosis
Your physician can determine whether your symptoms represent exercise-induced asthma by having you blow into a medical tool called a peak flow meter after you've exercised, the UMMC says. In some cases, simple lack of conditioning can mimic exercise-induced asthma symptoms. However, if the burning sensation in your trachea responds to asthma medication, you most likely have exercise-induced asthma.
Controlling Symptoms
Your physician can prescribe a medication for you to use before exercising, according to Ohio State University Medical Center. You'll most likely use an inhaler to deliver this medication, called a beta agonist, to your trachea and lungs. If you're taking a short-acting beta agonist, you'll use your inhaler about 15 minutes before exercising, and the effect can last up to four hours. If you're taking a long-acting beta agonist, you can use the inhaler 30 minutes or more before exercising, and its effects should last 12 hours or more.
Considerations
You can take steps yourself to alleviate the burning sensation in your trachea that worsens with exercise. Because cold, dry air often triggers symptoms, avoid outdoor exercises in that type of weather. You also can wear a scarf around your nose and mouth to help moisten and heat the air you're breathing. Also, consider wearing a mask to filter out pollen, because pollen and other allergies can cause symptoms.
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