Exercise-induced asthma is a type of asthma that appears after doing some vigorous physical activity, such as running or swimming, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing or a dry cough, for example.
Attacks of this type of asthma generally begin 6 to 8 minutes after the start of intense exercise and tend to disappear after using asthma medicine or after 20 to 40 minutes of rest. However, in some cases, an asthma attack can also appear 4 to 10 hours after the end of the activity.
Exercise-induced asthma has no cure, but it can be controlled with the use of medicines and exercises that help prevent the onset of symptoms, allowing physical exercise and even joining the military.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of exercise-induced asthma can be:
- Persistent dry cough;
- Wheezing when breathing;
- Feeling of shortness of breath;
- Chest pain or tightness;
- Excessive fatigue during exercise.
Normally, these symptoms can appear a few minutes after starting physical activity and last up to 30 minutes after exercise, if medication is not used to reduce symptoms, such as the “asthma bombs” with corticosteroids indicated above. See the general symptoms of this disease.
Online symptom test
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The symptom test is only a guidance tool and does not serve as a diagnosis or replace consultation with a pulmonologist or general practitioner.
Which doctor to consult
The best doctor to evaluate asthma attacks caused by exercise and advise on the best form of treatment is a pulmonologist.
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How the treatment is carried out
Treatment for exercise-induced asthma must be guided by a pulmonologist or allergist and is normally carried out with medicines that must be inhaled before exercising to avoid symptoms, such as:
- Beta agonist drugssuch as Albuterol or Levalbuterol: they should be inhaled before doing any intense physical activity to open the airways and prevent the appearance of asthma symptoms;
- Ipratropium bromide: It is a medicine widely used by asthmatics to relax the airways and prevent the development of asthma during exercise.
In addition, the doctor may also prescribe other medications to control asthma daily or when symptoms arise, such as corticosteroid pumps Budesonide or Fluticasone, for example, which, over time, can reduce the need to use medications before exercise. physicist.
Best exercises for people with asthma
1. Walk
Walking for around 30 or 40 minutes daily improves blood circulation and cardiorespiratory activity, thus increasing the uptake of oxygen by the blood. To take advantage of the exercise, you should try walking early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the temperature is milder and the individual sweats less. On the coldest days of the year, walking on a treadmill indoors or in a gym is more recommended because for some asthmatics the cold air from the street can make breathing difficult.
See what precautions you should take when walking in: Stretching exercises for walking.
2. Cycling
Anyone who likes cycling can take advantage of this physical activity to strengthen their leg muscles. Initially, it is recommended to walk slowly, on a cycle path with little movement in order to increase or decrease the risk as necessary. However, cycling can cause neck pain in some people due to the height of the saddle and handlebars, so it is only recommended to cycle frequently if it does not cause any discomfort.
3. Swimming
Swimming is a complete sport and helps to increase the individual’s respiratory capacity, because swimming breathing must be synchronized to increase exercise performance. However, if the asthmatic also has allergic rhinitis, the chlorine in the pool can make breathing difficult, but this does not happen to everyone and so it is a matter of experimenting to see if you notice any negative changes in breathing. If this does not happen, it is recommended to swim 30 minutes daily or swim for 1 hour 3 times a week to benefit your breathing.
4. Football
For those who already have good physical conditioning, playing football sporadically is permitted, however this physical activity is more intense and can be more difficult for asthmatics. However, with good physical conditioning, it is possible to play football weekly without going into an asthma attack, but whenever the air is very cold, the possibility of doing another physical activity should be considered.
How to avoid asthma during exercise
Some important tips to avoid asthma attacks triggered by physical activity include:
- Warm up 15 minutes before starting exercise, with muscle stretching or walking, for example;
- Give preference to lighter physical activities which normally do not cause asthma attacks.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a scarf or running mask on colder days;
- Try to breathe in through your nose during exercise, being able to exhale air through the mouth;
- Avoid exercising in places with a lot of allergenssuch as near traffic or in gardens during spring.
To complement these tips and better control asthma attacks, it is also important to do breathing exercises at least once a week in a physiotherapy office.
