Exercise-Induced Asthma – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Exercise-Induced Asthma – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments We Shouldn’t Ignore. Also, exercise-induced asthma is a narrowing of your airways in your lungs, which is triggered by strenuous exercise. in addition it will cause shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and other symptoms during or after exercise.

The preferred term for this condition is exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (brong-koh-kun-STRIK-shun). This term is more accurate because exercise induces airway narrowing (bronchoconstriction), but it is not the root cause of asthma . Among people with asthma , exercise is likely just one of several factors that can induce breathing difficulties.

For most people with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, treatment with common asthma medications and preventative measures allows them to exercise and stay active.

Causes of Exercise-Induced Asthma:  Medical researchers are exploring various ideas about the cause of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. There may be more than one biological process that can lead to the condition.

Researchers know that in people who experience exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, strenuous exercise drives molecular events that result in inflammation and the production of mucus in the airways. Factors that can increase the risk of the condition or act as triggers include:

• Cold air;
• Dry air;
• Air pollution;
• High pollen count;
• Chlorine in swimming pools;
• Chemicals used with ice rink rebound equipment;
• Respiratory infections or other lung diseases ;
• Activities with long periods of deep breathing, such as long-distance running, swimming, or soccer

In addition to asking questions about your symptoms, your doctor will perform a medical exam. He or she will also order tests to assess your lung function and rule out other conditions that could be causing your symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction may begin during or a few minutes after exercise and may persist for 30 minutes or longer if left untreated. Signs and symptoms can include:

• cough ;
• wheezing;
• Shortness of breathe;
• Tightness or pain in the chest;
• Fatigue during exercise;
• Poorer than expected athletic performance;
• Feeling unfashionable even when you are in good physical shape;
• Avoiding activity (a sign especially among young children);

Normal Pulmonary Function Test:  Your doctor will likely administer a spirometry test (spy-ROM-uh-tree) to assess how well your lungs are working when you don’t exercise. A spirometer measures how much air you breathe in, how much air you breathe out, and how quickly you breathe out.

After taking the test, your doctor may give you an inhaled medication to open your lungs (bronchodilator). You will repeat the test and your doctor will compare the results of the two measurements to see if the bronchodilator has improved your airflow. This initial lung function test is important to rule out underlying chronic asthma as the cause of symptoms.

Exercise Challenge Tests:  An additional test that allows your doctor to observe and assess symptoms is an exercise challenge. You will run on a treadmill or use other stationary exercise equipment that increases your breathing rate.

This exercise needs to be intense enough to trigger the symptoms you experienced. If necessary, you may be asked to undertake a real-life exercise challenge, such as climbing stairs. Spirometry tests before and after challenge can provide evidence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Alternative Challenge Tests:  As an alternative to the exercise challenge, your doctor may use an inhalation test that simulates conditions that are likely to trigger exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. If your airways respond to these stimuli, the test should produce about the same lung function you get from exercising.

Don’t Just Rely on Quick Relief Medications:  You can also use pre-exercise drugs as a quick relief treatment for symptoms. However, you don’t need to use your pre-exercise inhaler more often than your doctor recommends.

Keep a record of how many puffs you use each week, how often you use your pre-exercise inhaler for prevention, and how often you use it to treat symptoms. If you use it daily or use it frequently for symptom relief, your doctor may adjust your long-term control medication.