| Your Health and You/Tim Ballweg |
Exercise-induced asthma
Do you experience coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or discomfort when you exercise? Do you
feel tired or short of breath after a vigorous workout? Do other children seem to have more stamina than
your child? These could be the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
If you have exercise-induced asthma (EIA), you may have these symptoms 5-20 minutes after
exercise. During the exercise you may experience a feeling that you cannot get all the air in that you
normally do.
Not everything is known about the exact cause of EIA but it is felt that the airways or breathing tubes
are extra sensitive to sudden changes in the temperature and humidity of the air you breathe. This can
be more noticeable in colder, drier air.
Doctors diagnose EIA by collecting a good patient history and performing a breathing test called
spirometry. It may be necessary to do this breathing test with exercise to determine what type of asthma
this may be.
Treatment is usually with a respiratory medication named Albuterol. Your doctor may instruct you to
use this medication before your activity or sport.
Some activities are better than others for those diagnosed with EIA. Generally, swimming is
considered the best sport because of its many good attributes such as humidity or body position.
However, walking, biking, hiking, downhill skiing also are less likely to cause problems. If it is really cold
outside, it is helpful to cover your mouth with a scarf or mask to warm and humidify the air you breathe.
Sports that often times trigger EIA due their sustained efforts are soccer, long-distance running,
basketball, and field hockey.
Summary:
In the 1996 Olympic Games, one in six athletes representing the United States had a history of
asthma. Interestingly, nearly 30 percent of the 1996 U.S. Olympians who had asthma or took asthma
medications won team or individual medals in their Olympic competition.
Not all of us are training to become an Olympian competitor but it is possible to win a medal having
EIA. This should excite you to know that with the correct diagnosis and treatment plan, it is possible for
you to compete at your full ability in the events in life that you choose.
Meet with your doctor or asthma specialist to work out your plan of action to take control of your
breathing.
Tim Ballweg works as the Asthma Educator at Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin
and is a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
Notes from: American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology ©2006
feel tired or short of breath after a vigorous workout? Do other children seem to have more stamina than
your child? These could be the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
If you have exercise-induced asthma (EIA), you may have these symptoms 5-20 minutes after
exercise. During the exercise you may experience a feeling that you cannot get all the air in that you
normally do.
Not everything is known about the exact cause of EIA but it is felt that the airways or breathing tubes
are extra sensitive to sudden changes in the temperature and humidity of the air you breathe. This can
be more noticeable in colder, drier air.
Doctors diagnose EIA by collecting a good patient history and performing a breathing test called
spirometry. It may be necessary to do this breathing test with exercise to determine what type of asthma
this may be.
Treatment is usually with a respiratory medication named Albuterol. Your doctor may instruct you to
use this medication before your activity or sport.
Some activities are better than others for those diagnosed with EIA. Generally, swimming is
considered the best sport because of its many good attributes such as humidity or body position.
However, walking, biking, hiking, downhill skiing also are less likely to cause problems. If it is really cold
outside, it is helpful to cover your mouth with a scarf or mask to warm and humidify the air you breathe.
Sports that often times trigger EIA due their sustained efforts are soccer, long-distance running,
basketball, and field hockey.
Summary:
In the 1996 Olympic Games, one in six athletes representing the United States had a history of
asthma. Interestingly, nearly 30 percent of the 1996 U.S. Olympians who had asthma or took asthma
medications won team or individual medals in their Olympic competition.
Not all of us are training to become an Olympian competitor but it is possible to win a medal having
EIA. This should excite you to know that with the correct diagnosis and treatment plan, it is possible for
you to compete at your full ability in the events in life that you choose.
Meet with your doctor or asthma specialist to work out your plan of action to take control of your
breathing.
Tim Ballweg works as the Asthma Educator at Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin
and is a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
Notes from: American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology ©2006