How Can I Prevent Coughing, Wheezing, and Chest Tightness After Exercise?
You shouldn’t avoid exercise because of exercise-induced asthma. Inhaled medications taken prior to exercise can control and prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms. The preferred medications are short-acting beta 2-agonists such as albuterol. In addition to taking medications, warming up prior to exercising and cooling down afterwards can help prevent an attack. For those with known allergies, outside exercise should be limited during high pollen days. Outside exercise should also be limited when temperatures are very low or air pollution levels are high. The presence of viral infections, such as colds, can also increase symptoms, so it’s best to restrict your exercise when you’re sick.
You shouldn’t avoid exercise because of exercise-induced asthma. Inhaled medications taken prior to exercise can control and prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms. The preferred medications are short-acting beta 2-agonists such as albuterol. In addition to taking medications, warming up prior to exercising and cooling down afterwards can help prevent an attack. For those with known allergies, outside exercise should be limited during high pollen days. Outside exercise should also be limited when temperatures are very low or air pollution levels are high. The presence of viral infections, such as colds, can also increase symptoms, so it’s best to restrict your exercise when you’re sick. 7. I’m Exposed to Substances at Work That Worsen My Asthma. What Can I Do to Prevent This? Generally, if symptoms are worse on days that you work, and improve when you are at home for any length of time (weekends, vacations) and then reoccur when you return to work, occupational asthma should be consi
Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) can be prevented in everyone. Exercise is just as important for people with asthma as it is for others. However, breathing relatively cold air triggers bronchospasm in most people with asthma. The airways become dry and they respond by narrowing (bronchospasm). Symptoms of cough, wheezing, chest tightness, and/or shortness of breath start about 5 minutes after the exercise stops and last for about 45 minutes (unless treated by using a rescue inhaler like albuterol). About 10% of athletes, even those who successfully compete in the Olympics, have EIB. The good news is that it can almost always be prevented. Strenuous exercise in cold air is the most potent EIB stimulus, such as cross-country skiing. Swimming rarely causes EIB since you are breathing warm and humid air while swimming. When walking in the winter cold, keep your nose open (by treating rhinitis, perhaps using nasal lavage) so that you can breathe through it. Breathing through your nose wa
