Asthma Exercise

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Q: How do I avoid an asthma attack after exercise?
I am 20 years old and have never had asthma. The last few times after my soccer games I have been coughing a lot, but today I had an actual asthma attack where I couldnt breathe, I had a lot of pressure on my chest, and I couldnt stop coughing. My brother has really bad asthma so I used his inhaler and I sat in the bathroom with steam from the shower and it went away. Is there a way for me to avoid having asthma after exercise? I normally never have asthma.

A: You need to see your GP who might refer you to a specialist and have an asthma treatment plan done immediately. They'll do a series of lung tests and then probably put you on a preventer. After being on that for a couple of days you should be fine to exercise but if you still feel out of breath try taking a few sprays from an inhaler before you work out and after if you need it.

Hope this helps :)

Q: What is the best exercise to improve my asthma and cardiac fitness?
I have had asthma since I was 2 years old, and suffer from exercise induced asthma as well as weather and food affected. Running is the worst for inducing asthma in me.

If I want to improve my asthma and my cardiac fitness, what is the best exercise for me to do?

A: light exercise and light swimming. because it is gentle and help develope your cardiac tissue. Donr over do it because the stress can make you drown or fall on a track. I have faults too because i have torn muscles in my knees. take time and do things very slow and you can do fun things , but please be careful. Also eat quality protein and fruit juice. Dont over do icant do it all. You can still be fit and healthy

Q: Can one grow out of exercise induced asthma?
I had seasonal asthma as a child and I grew out of that, but I then developed exercise induced asthma, I am currently a 13 year-old girl and was planning on joining the navy when I am older. But, I understand that with this disadvantage that would be unlikely. So, Is it possible that I could "grow out" of my exercise induced asthma, as
I did my seasonal asthma?

A: I did. I had moderate asthma in my childhood and no longer have attacks.

I've also seen people make real progress re: asthma, hay fever, eczema, etc., by alternative methods. Gluten-free and casein-free diets, probiotics, environmental changes (no cats, dust mites, HEPA vacuum bags, etc.). Just Google "asthma" and "alternative" and you'll find some popular approaches.

Q: How can I start running with my exercise-induced asthma?
I have exercise-induced asthma. I take Advair twice a day and a rescue inhaler immediately before exercise (as prescribed by my doctor). I want to start running and rejoin a sports team I had to quit. Any advice? I have a gym at my disposal.

Basically if anyone has suggested training routines, little tips about breathing, etc. that'd be great. I know nothing basically. I really want to get back into shape!

A: I have exercise induced asthma as well. I take it pre-run as well and I carry it with me. I run about 5 miles on average a day and I take very big inhales in and hold it and let it go. Its taken me a while to get a system that works. You really just want to think mentally, about your breathing..listen to how you breath, are you fast, puffy etc. Slow it up and take big inhales ever so often and slow exhales out. Its all about mentality.

Q: Does Primatene work good for exercise induced asthma or in general?
I have exercise induced asthma and a little bit of asthma in general. It doesn't fully hit me until I exercise and I happen to really enjoy exercising so this is a little discouraging. I'm just curious as to if this product works good or not?. And please don't respond unless you actually use the product itself or know someone who does. I've done my research on the product; I just want to hear what people have to say who use it or have used it before. Thanks!!!

A: I've used Primatene when I was a child for a number of years. It helps relieves symptoms, but overally I became immune to it (or it just lost its effectiveness, I dunno). Either way, you're better off going to a doctor or clinic for asthma & allergy to have your asthma treated properly. They will be able to prescribe medication that is most effective for you while giving you more tips for specific treatment.

Q: How can I keep from having an asthma attack when I exercise?
I have exercise induced asthma, have to take my medication before and after I exercise. This makes me uncomfortable, as I do not like to have to take too much medication. Is there a way to keep from having an asthma attack without having to take meds?

A: build up your tolerance to asthma by gradually increasing cardio and keep pushing yourself

Q: Can I use over the counter asthma medication for exercise induced asthma?
I think I have exercise induced asthma but I don't want to go to the doctor and I don't have the money to go either. So I was wondering if I can just use an over the counter inhaler from walmart? Im 18!

A: You could try it and use it strictly according to the directions. Do not use it more often than directed.

Q: what is the best medication for exercise induced asthma?
(Advair, singulair, or albuterol) i heard all this medications are great for exercise induce asthma, but which one works the best i play soccer in high school and we do so much running everyday so want to be taking the best medication....

Or if you know of any others that work better for my condition please feel free to let me know, thanks.

A: I have exercise induce asthma, before doctors even admitted it existed.

If exercise is the only trigger and you don't experience any symptoms outside of exercise, I don't think that the advair will help that much. What has worked for me is to take the albuterol before I exercise (at least 15 min. before). I also try to control my breathing, which is hard and can be painful. But if you start out controlling your breathing, when you start running, you may be less likely to trigger an attack or moderate the symptoms. I would count to three as I inhaled, hold my breath for a count of three, and then exhale slowly for a count of three. I would also breath in through my nose.

The breathing thing really works. I have had exercise induced asthma since I was a child, but was told that I just hyperventilate - all the asthmatic classmates were convinced I was having an asthma attack. It wasn't until a college basketball player died of exercise induced asthma in the 80's that the diagnosis changed. I played baseball and soccer for years and just concentrated on my breathing. It can really help, but the albuterol makes it easier.

What I have also discovered is that the more that I exercise, on a steady and regular basis (no sprints) the easier I breathe and the fewer attacks I have even while exercising.

As a side note, my exercise induced asthma converted to chronic asthma after a severe, recurrent bout of bronchitis and I now use singulair on a regular basis.

I have included a link about exercise induced asthma below.

Q: Can you have exercise induced asthma only when running?
Is it possible to only have asthma when running and not when doing other types of exercise? I'm in summer gym right now and I find myself getting severly out of breath really early on into running the mile but when I exercise on the eliptical bike inside for 45min I don't feel a thing. When I ride the bike, I do it a high resistance and relativly fast. Could it also be anxiety about running the mile? I already have an anxiety disorder that affects other things but I can't tell if its just that or if its asthma related.

A: Exercise-induced bronchospasm is caused by the loss of heat, water, or both from the lungs during exercise, stemming from hyperventilation of air that is drier and cooler than that in the respiratory tree. Between 80 and 90 percent of patients with asthma also have EIB. However, many patients have bronchospasm only during exercise. One study has found unrecognized EIB in as many as 29 percent of athletes presenting for athletic preparticipation examinations.

The diagnosis of EIB is based on a detailed history suggestive of shortness of breath, decreased exercise endurance, chest tightness, cough, or wheezing during or immediately following sustained exercise. Some patients also report having an upset stomach or a sore throat. Symptoms that occur during the first five minutes of exercise are usually not indicative of EIB; however, these symptoms may suggest other changes in pulmonary function, poorly controlled underlying asthma, poor conditioning, or injury to the chest wall muscle. Persons who engage in physical activities that involve only short bursts of exertion may perform well without becoming symptomatic.

We use a exercise bike for EIB Challenge in the diagnosis of Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm. So you should probably have a response when on the elliptical bike.

Q: Can anyone tell me if this sounds like exercise induced asthma?
I am 17, female. For a while now, sometimes when I go for a run, I experience chest tightness, a feeling of mucus in my lungs, mucus in the back of my throat, and shortness of breath after exercise. Sometimes I hyperventilate too.

I have never been diagnosed with asthma.

A: I had exercise induced asthma as kid. I got it from having pneumonia but I have grown out of it now, at 22.

I used to wheeze a lot with my asthma. Your throat kind of feels like it tightens up and it's catching on something when you try to breathe.

Just go to the Dr. and then can give you an albuterol inhaler (that's what I had anyway) to use before you exercise.

Q: Can i join the military with exercise induced asthma?
I am 17 and am considering ROTC to join the military. I was told by the doctor recently that i have exercise induced asthma. I believe that i have had this condition ever since i can remember but have never had an asthma attack. In fact i do not even believe that i can have an asthma attack. The doctor did not run any tests and went of my descriptions of what happens. Would this become a problem if i want to join the military?

A: I think it would only be a problem if they ran the tests on you and it turned out you did for sure have asthma. I believe that asthma after your 13th birthday is an automatic dis-qualifier and I don't think you can get it wavered (could be wrong on that). Don't let the doctor put on your record that you have asthma if he didn't even run any tests to make sure of it.

Q: can exercise induced asthma be a symptom of anemia?
I've read online that shortness of breath is a symptom of anemia. I'm going to the doctor soon because i think i may have anemia and was wondering if this symptom can be misdiagnosed as exercise induced asthma, which i supposedly have. Anyone know?

A: hemoglobin carries oxygen. With anemia, you have less hemoglobin, so less oxygen therefore shortness of breath. Asthma of any kind, has wheezing caused by bronchoconstriction and then SOB. No wheezing probably not as asthma.

Q: Is this allergies of exercise induced asthma?
Yesterday, I ran the mile inside on the track at my school. Everyday, I usually jog, but the past few times I've ran. Everytime I run, I start sneezing afterward. Yesterday, I was sneezing, had chest tightness and some weird breathing at times. I was ok afterward, but the chest tightness continued for a long time, and this morning, I still have sneezing.
I exercise regularly at home, and I am fine. I am a 17 year old female with no past asthma or anything.

A: Could be something in the environment you're running in when you're outside that you're allergic to. Add running to your allergies and you could be experiencing asthma symptoms. Pay attention to the time of day, what is around you, what the weather's like and when it happens. Keep a log and bring it to your doctor. They can do allergy and asthma testing to see what's up and then give you the appropriate meds.

Q: If I have exercise induced asthma, do I need a peak flow meter?
Ok, so I have exercise -induced asthma, but lately I have been having sudden attacks and flair-ups. I think that my asthma is getting worse. Do I need a peak flow meter?

A: I personally think that having a peak flow meter is good advise for all people with asthma.

I have one and use it for various reasons since I don't know my triggers.

If you know your breathing level zone ( good, marginal, bad) you will know how to deal with medications, activities, triggers, pollution etc.

It decreases attacks.

Q: Aren't people supposed to get shortness of breath when they exercise even if they don't have asthma?
I've heard one of the symptoms for exercise-induced asthma is shortness of breath. I thought that when you run you're supposed to be short of breath, regardless of if you have asthma. Same for other sports, it's not like you're supposed to be comfortable while exercising.

A: Yes, you're supposed to get short of breath while exercising. Given two equally fit athletes the one with asthma will get short of breath sooner as their airways constrict and limit ventilation of the lungs. This can be dealt with by prophylactic use of their inhaler. But a doctor trained in sports medicine should be their guide.
God bless.