Asthma and Exercise: Does Exercise Bring On An Asthma Attack?
Asthma and exercise ... is there any relationship? Asthma is, after all, a chronic condition and its sufferers can't breath. Is that any different from pumping iron or jogging when the breathing of a non-asthma patient becomes erratic and difficult?
| Actually, yes it is different because with an asthma attack the passages to the lungs actually grow irritated and therefore constrict and it's tough to force the air through. The cause of over-exertion-breathing is different. In that case, the lungs are simply having to work too hard, rather than the passageways narrowing. Nevertheless, many asthma patients do suffer an attack when exercising, which is unfortunate since the human body needs to move and undergo some form of exertion. Medical researchers have observed that children |
are more likely to have an exercise-induced asthma attack than are adults and for years there was speculation about why this was so.
As it turns out, there is no mystery. It's simply that adults are more sedentary than kids.
One of the factors involved in whether exercise triggers an attack is simply the condition of the air. During the summer when it's warm/hot and moist, an attack is less likely than in the dry and cold winter air. Therefore, skiing is riskier than swimming. When the airways become cooler and dryer, the lack of moisture seems more likely to cause a breathing problem.
It's the same phenomenon as how breathing cool outside air with your mouth open can cause a sore throat. Our insides are constituted to 98.6 degrees and we're from the sea. Our tissue crave warmth and liquid! If they are weak in any way, when these conditions don't exist, we have problems.
If you are an asthma sufferer, don't avoid exercise out of fear of an attack. The value of exercise to the human body is too profound to neglect. Instead, carefully observe yourself and what conditions bring on an attack. Then you can adjust your schedule and activities to minimize the risk.
For instance, if walking or running in cold winter air frequently brings on an attack, a compromise would be to purchase a home treadmill for the cold months. Then you can safely walk in the summer and spring and still get all the benefits of regular exercise.
So back to our original question of whether asthma and exercise have a relationship? Yes, in some people they do, but even in the worst sufferers there are ways to have your asthma and exercise peacefully co-exist.
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