Exercise-induced asthma will make it difficult to take a deep breath during exercise. It's normal to have shortness of breath during exercise because your body's demand for oxygen increases. If you find it difficult to exercise because of asthma-like symptoms consult with your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Identification
Exercise-induced asthma will make you feel out of breath during or after exercising. A cough is usually present with shortness of breath, as well as wheezing and chest tightness. The symptoms will be more severe during vigorous exercise or while exercising in a cold climate. Since you're unable to meet your body's oxygen demand, you will feel tired while exercising, which will have a negative impact on your exercise performance. Some people have chest pain, but this rarely occurs.
Cause
Most people breathe through their nose while resting, which naturally filters, warms and moistens air that enters the lungs. During nonstop physical exertion, you tend to breathe through your mouth, which causes large amounts of cold air to travel to the lungs. If you have exercise-induced asthma the air will cause inflammation and shrinking of your airways, which makes deep breathing difficult. Triggers that can worsen exercise-induced asthma are air pollution, pollen and respiratory infections. If you suffer from chronic asthma and exercise-induced asthma, your symptoms will be worse during allergy season.
Treatment
There are short-term and long-term treatment options available. Most people only need a quick-relief inhaler that can be taken shortly before exercise and lasts up to four hours. If symptoms occur during exercise, you can use your quick-relief inhaler to open your airways and make the asthma attack less severe. A long-term inhaler can also be taken before exercise and can last up to 12 hours. A long-term inhaler will not reduce asthma symptoms during an attack. Other options are inhaled corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers. If your symptoms are worse because of allergies, immunotherapy injections and antihistamines can help.
Prevention
Warming up and cooling down for 15 minutes before and after exercise can reduce your risk of asthma symptoms. Breathe through your nose while exercising by keeping your mouth closed. If you exercise in cold weather, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose. Take your medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor to prevent attacks during exercise. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to avoid respiratory infections. Exercise indoors if pollen or air pollution is high. Swimming is a great exercise if you have exercise-induced asthma because it offers a warm and moist environment.
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