Exercise-induced asthma is a condition that occurs in people during vigorous activity, particularly in cold and dry conditions as they are unusually sensitive to changes in air temperature and humidity. The breathing gets severely impaired within five to 20 minutes of beginning activity in such patients. Exercise induced asthma is characterized by symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, breathing difficulty, chest pain or tightness, excessive fatigue during exercise. Although most asthmatics experience symptoms when they exercise, for some, exercise is the sole trigger that causes these symptoms. Exercise induced asthma is more likely in children than adults. Such patients usually remain free of symptoms when they are not exercising.

It is believed that rapid breathing during exercise prevents air from being properly warmed as it enters the airway. This is because during exercise air tends to enter through the mouth and is less warmed. This cooler air enters the bronchial tubes and causes the airways to swell and secrete excess mucus. Water loss around the cells of the bronchial lining during rapid breathing could also be an additional cause. This is because when the tissue dries out, the mast cells release the chemicals that trigger inflammation and asthma symptoms. Allergens and pollutants inhaled during exercise often trigger symptoms. In some people eating foods like shrimp, celery, peanuts, egg whites, almonds, bananas and subsequently exercising in hot and humid conditions can provoke a life threatening reaction. Exposure to cold air alone could trigger symptoms.

Exercise-induced asthma is a life long condition and cannot be cured but certain medications can help patients to participate in physical activities. The likelihood of an attack can be reduced by taking certain medications like inhaled short acting bronchodilators, long acting bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids, as a pre-treatment to exercise. Short acting bronchodilators should be inhaled 15-30 minutes prior to exercise. Such medications help prevent the airways from contracting. Long acting bronchodilators provide 12 hour control of symptoms and cotircosteroids or leukotriene modifiers are long term therapies that reduce the airway responsiveness to the triggers. Besides these medications following some precautions may help reduce chances of having an attack. Spending time warming up before starting strenuous exercise and a gradual cooling down after exertion can help prevent these symptoms. Patients who have respiratory tract infection such as cold, flu or bronchitis should avoid exertion, particularly in extremely cold weather. Most of all, adhering to one’s asthma treatment plan will help reduce the frequency of attacks.