Humana HealthBeat Transcript Archive

May 15

Asthma and Exercise

Most people with chronic asthma have symptoms with exercise. What may be surprising to know is that 35 to 40 percent of people with seasonal allergies also have EIA.

If you cough, wheeze, or feel your chest tighten when you exercise, or you feel short of breath or very tired with exertion, then you may have exercise induced asthma. During an asthma attack in EIA, changes in temperature and humidity and poor air quality can trigger the airways to spasm, blocking oxygen to the lungs.

It’s estimated that 10-12 percent of athletes have the problem, so if you have EIA, it doesn’t mean you have to quit exercising—but you do have to be smart about it.

Once your doctor has diagnosed the problem with an exam and breathing test, you’ll probably be told to use an inhaler before exercise. Make sure to use it exactly as directed. Breathe through the nose to warm and humidify the air going to the lungs. Warming up before and cooling down after exercise helps keep the air that goes in the lungs from changing temperature rapidly. Stop exercising if you feel short of breath or tired and use your inhaler as directed by your doctor. Finally, avoid exercising in cold, dry air, on poor air quality days, or during respiratory infections.

Isn’t exercising with EIA dangerous?

We used to think so. But we now know that if done properly, exercise will actually help to improve asthma by conditioning and strengthening the lungs. The best sport is probably indoor swimming because of the warm and humid air, but any sport will do, if it’s properly managed.

RESOURCES:

Tips to Remember: Exercise-induced asthma
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
www.aaaai.org/public/publicedmat/tips/exerciseinducedasthma.stm

On the Teen Scene: Being a Sport with Exercise-Induced Asthma
U. S. Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov/opacom/catalog/ots_asth.html

Asthma Management
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
www.nhlbisupport.com/asthma/index.html

Asthma
American Medical Association
www.ama.-assn.org/insight/spec_con/asthma/asthma.htm

Asthma
American Lung Association
www.lungusa.org/asthma/index.html

May 15
Asthma and Exercise
	Most people with chronic asthma have symptoms with exercise. What may be surprising to know is that 35 to 40 percent of people with seasonal allergies also have EIA. If you cough, wheeze, or feel your chest tighten when you exercise, or you feel short of breath or very tired with exertion, then you may have exercise induced asthma. During an asthma attack in EIA, changes in temperature and humidity and poor air quality can trigger the airways to spasm, blocking oxygen to the lungs. It’s estimated that 10-12 percent of athletes have the problem, so if you have EIA, it doesn’t mean you have to quit exercising—but you do have to be smart about it. Once your doctor has diagnosed the problem with an exam and breathing test, you’ll probably be told to use an inhaler before exercise. Make sure to use it exactly as directed. Breathe through the nose to warm and humidify the air going to the lungs. Warming up before and cooling down after exercise helps keep the air that goes in the lungs from changing temperature rapidly. Stop exercising if you feel short of breath or tired and use your inhaler as directed by your doctor. Finally, avoid exercising in cold, dry air, on poor air quality days, or during respiratory infections.

	Isn’t exercising with EIA dangerous? We used to think so. But we now know that if done properly, exercise will actually help to improve asthma by conditioning and strengthening the lungs. The best sport is probably indoor swimming because of the warm and humid air, but any sport will do, if it’s properly managed.
	RESOURCES: Tips to Remember: Exercise-induced asthma American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology www.aaaai.org/public/publicedmat/tips/exerciseinducedasthma.stm On the Teen Scene: Being a Sport with Exercise-Induced Asthma U. S. Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov/opacom/catalog/ots_asth.html Asthma Management National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute www.nhlbisupport.com/asthma/index.html Asthma American Medical Association www.ama.-assn.org/insight/spec_con/asthma/asthma.htm Asthma American Lung Association www.lungusa.org/asthma/index.html