Exercise-Induced Asthma
What Is Exercise-Induced Asthma?
Like it sounds, exercise-induced asthma is asthma that is triggered by
vigorous or prolonged exercise or physical exertion. Most people with chronic
asthma experience symptoms of asthma during exercise. However, there are many
people without chronic asthma who develop symptoms only during exercise.
Why Does Exercise Induce Asthma?
During normal breathing, the air we take in is first warmed and moistened by
the nasal passages. Because people tend to breathe through their mouths when
they exercise, they are inhaling colder and drier air.
In exercise-induced asthma, the muscle bands around the airways are
sensitive to these changes in temperature and humidity and react by
contracting, which narrows the airway. This results in symptoms of
exercised-induced asthma, which include:
The symptoms of exercise-induced asthma generally begin within 5-20 minutes
after the start of exercise, or 5-10 minutes after brief exercise has stopped.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms with exercise, inform your
doctor.
If I Have Asthma, Should I Avoid Exercise?
No. You shouldn't avoid physical
activity because of exercise-induced asthma. There are steps you can take
for prevention of asthma symptoms that will allow you to maintain normal
physical activity. In fact, many athletes -- even Olympic athletes -- compete
with asthma. For example, in the 1996 Olympic Games, 1 out of every 6 athletes
had asthma. These Olympians competed in a variety of sports such as track and
field, mountain biking, kayaking, cycling, and rowing. The following is an
abbreviated list of athletes who have competed despite their asthma.
-
Jackie Joyner-Kersee - track and
field
-
Jerome Bettis - NFL running
back
-
Amy Van Dyken -
swimming
-
Dennis Rodman - NBA
basketball
-
Ray Bourque - NHL
hockey
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