Asthma and Exercise - Health Tips

The combination of exercise and seasonal allergies has long been associated with what is often called “exercise-induced bronchospasm” or “exercise-induced asthma.” Are you or your child experiencing shortness of breath, chest tightness or cough associated with exercise? Should we be pushing ourselves (or our children) harder because we are “just out of shape”? Or could we be pushing children to do more than what their lungs will allow because they have asthma, eventually pushing them out of sports altogether because they “just don’t like sports”?

The only way to know if you or your child’s symptoms are related to asthma/allergies or if you’re just out of shape is to be seen by a board certified allergist. At The Allergy, Asthma and Sinus Center, Dr. Jeana Bush and I are both board certified in pediatric and adult allergies (sinuses) and asthma. If you would like to be evaluated or have us talk with your school or organization on this subject, please call. We can help!

As for me, I realized that I fell into the category of being out of shape. I often tell my patients that I love blaming things on allergies and asthma; but in this case, I just need to “push harder, dig deeper!”

Have a great season, everyone, and “push harder, dig deeper!”

For some people with asthma, exercise is the only trigger of an attack. Exercise-induced asthma occurs when the airways in the chest narrow and constrict within a few minutes after exercise. Usually the attack reaches its peak about 5 to 10 minutes after you stop exercising and continues for another 20 to 30 minutes.

If untreated, exercise-induced asthma can disrupt your life and prevent you from participating in many of the activities that you enjoy. The attacks may last only a few minutes, but they can be very frightening and can cause you to limit your activities unnecessarily.

This does not have to happen to you. By following your doctor’s treatment plan, you can participate in almost any activity you choose.
Controlling Exercise-Induced Asthma

The goal of treatment in exercise-induced asthma is to allow you to participate in physical activities without experiencing asthma symptoms. Here are some things that you may want to do:

•  Keep a diary of your activities, noting when you experience symptoms and what measures relieve those symptoms.
•  Discuss with your doctor the appropriate time to take your medication in relation to your exercise schedule.
•  Assess your present activity level. Evaluate the kinds of activities you can do and the length of time in which you are able to do them.
•  Pace yourself and rest, if necessary, during physical exertion. It may also help to do warm-up and cool-down exercises before beginning an activity.
•  Talk about your asthma with family, teachers, coaches and others who need to be aware of your asthma.