What Is The Best Treatment For Exercise Induced Asthma

What Else Can I Do To Help With My Exercise

As well as seeing your doctor, and taking medication as prescribed the following suggestions may help some people with EIB manage their symptoms:

• Warming up before exercise
• Being as fit as possible increasing fitness raises the threshold for EIB, so that moderately strenuous exercise may not cause an attack.
• Exercising in a warm and humid environment
• Avoiding environments with high levels of allergens, pollution, irritant gases or airborne particles.
• Breathing through the nose to help warm and humidify the air
• Using a mask to filter air, although this may be impractical or can make breathing harder
• After strenuous exercise doing cooling down exercise, breathing through the nose and covering the mouth in cold, dry weather
• If you smoke cigarettes, consider speaking to your doctor about quitting.

What Is Exercise Induced Asthma

“If you are diagnosed with exercise induced asthma, there are treatments available to help. If your asthma is under control, then there is no reason why you cant exercise safely and keep fit without worrying about triggering your asthma.”

• What are the treatments for exercise induced asthma?

Why Is It Important To Not Stop Exercising

Don’t let EIA slow you down. Have fun and stay active. We all know that physical activity is good for us. This is particularly the case if you have asthma it improves lung capacity and blood flow, and has an overall calming effect.

Active people usually find they have fewer asthma symptoms and better control over their asthma. Sport and Recreation New Zealand recommends just 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days of the week. This can be in 10-minute bites if squeezing in 30 minutes a day is difficult.There are many world-class athletes taking part in all sporting codes who do not let their asthma get in the way of achieving their goals. They control their asthma not the other way around.

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What Sports Commonly Cause Asthma Symptoms

If you have sports-induced asthma, you may want to choose certain activities over others. Endurance sports and activities that take place in colder temperatures are more likely to trigger symptoms. Thats because cold, dry air can constrict the airways and trigger symptoms of asthma.

Sports that are most likely to trigger symptoms of asthma:

• Require constant physical exertion: Long-distance running, soccer, basketball and other endurance sports require you to breathe heavily and constantly with little rest.
• Take place in colder weather: Skiing, ice hockey, ice skating and snowboarding commonly cause symptoms due to colder air temperatures.

What Happens During Exercise

Symptoms of the condition typically occur a few minutes into your exercise routine. These symptoms evolve from mild to severe if you ignore your symptoms for 20 to 30 minutes. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the symptoms to become worse.

Sometimes, people with asthma also experience a second wave of symptoms. This occurs 4 to 12 hours after they have stopped exercising, which is why people must stop working out if they feel any symptoms.

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How Do Doctors Diagnose Eib

It is important to know the difference between being out of condition and having EIB. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will take a thorough history and may perform a series of tests. Your doctor will measure your breathing before, during and after exercise to test your lung functions. Then, your doctor will help you create a plan so you can take steps to prevent asthma symptoms and enjoy physical activity. Your doctor will also tell you what to do should a full-blown asthma episode occur.

Other Tips For Exercising With Asthma

In addition to choosing less strenuous activities, you can also follow these tips to reduce your asthma symptoms:

• Use an inhaler before exercise. Your doctor can prescribe a rescue inhaler as a pre-exercise treatment. These inhaled medications will relax the airways, making it easier to breathe during physical activity.
• Take medication for long-term control. If a pre-exercise inhaler doesnt manage your symptoms, you may be given another medication. This could include oral drugs or additional inhalers that decrease airway inflammation.
• Warm up and cool down. Always warm up before exercise to let your body adjust. When youre done, gradually stop the activity.
• Wear a mask or scarf. Cover your nose and mouth when its cold outside. The dryness of cool air can tighten your airways.
• Limit your exposure to pollen and pollution. If youre allergic to pollen, exercise inside when pollen levels are high. Stay in areas with minimal air pollution.
• Avoid sports with continuous activity. Basketball, soccer, and long-distance running can be hard on the lungs if your asthma is poorly controlled. Avoid sports that are done in the cold, like cross-country skiing and hockey.

Most importantly, take breaks as necessary.

You should also ask your doctor what you should do if you have an asthma attack while exercising. By having a plan in place, you can workout with confidence.

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Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes

Care coordination between primary care providers, pulmonologists, ENT, sports medicine practitioners, and coaches is required to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Sports coaches play an important role in identifying athletes who are experiencing symptoms during the practice or who express a desire to quit the sport due to poor fitness, as it can be a sign of EIB. The education of coaches is important to ensure adherence to face protection from cold, dry air, exposure to pollutants, particulate matter, and allergens during practice. Coaches can also work with school administration to ensure practice locations and pool chemicals are safe for practice. Primary care sports medicine practitioners may be the first contact for athletes with symptoms. Proper testing for diagnosis is required as clinical symptoms are not sensitive or specific, and some patients are asymptomatic. Differential diagnosis includes the entire airway, and each part may contribute to symptoms requiring referral to an otolaryngologist. Coordination with pulmonology for testing may be required. Pulmonology may already be involved in asthma management in hard to control patients. Communication and coordination will lead to an optimal diagnosis, treatment, treatment adherence, and control of bronchoconstriction, allowing patients to participate in an activity as they desire.

What Exams And Tests Diagnose Exercise

If you are having an asthma attack, your health-care professional will ask you questions about your symptoms, medical history, and medications. Answer as completely as you can. He or she will also examine you and observe you as you breathe.

He or she will assess the severity of the attack. Attacks are usually classified as mild, moderately severe, or severe. This assessment is based on several factors.

• Symptom severity and duration
• Degree of airway obstruction
• Extent to which the attack is interfering with regular activities

If you have had symptoms and are seeking medical care afterward, the health-care professional will ask questions and perform tests to search for and rule out or exclude other causes of the symptoms. The evaluation will almost certainly include tests of how well you can breathe at rest and may include tests during exertion. These tests are done at rest, after six to eight minutes of exercise, and then at regular intervals until at least 30 minutes after you have stopped exercising. Proper diagnosis is essential to ensure that the most appropriate treatment is given.

Measurements of how well you are breathing can be assessed using the following methods:

No blood test can pinpoint the cause of asthma.

• Your blood may be checked for signs of an infection that might be contributing to the symptoms.
• In severe attacks, it may be necessary to sample blood from an artery to determine exactly how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are present in your bloodstream.

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Why Does Exercise Trigger Asthma

During normal breathing, the air we take in is first warmed and moistened by the nasal passages. Because people tend to breathe through their mouths when they exercise, they are inhaling colder and drier air.

In exercise-induced asthma, the muscle bands around the airways are sensitive to these changes in temperature and humidity and react by contracting, which narrows the airway. This results in symptoms of exercise-induced asthma, which include:

• Unusual fatigue while exercising
• Shortness of breath when exercising

The symptoms of exercise-induced asthma generally begin within 5 to 20 minutes after the start of exercise, or 5 to 10 minutes after brief exercise has stopped. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms with exercise, inform your doctor.

What Is The Best Treatment For Exercise

The standard approach for treating this condition is with an albuterol inhaler, which can be taken with a prescription. So, what is the best treatment for exercise-induced asthma, the albuterol inhaler is considered the most practical solution. Its beneficial for 80% of patients, and you can take it anywhere with you.

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Are There Home Remedies For Exercise

Work with your health-care professional to develop an action plan. Follow your treatment plan closely to avoid an asthma attack during and after exercising. If you do have an asthma attack, the action plan will help you control the attack and make the decision about when to seek medical care.

If you should have an asthma attack, move to the next step of your action plan. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Take only the medications your health-care professional has prescribed for your asthma. Take them as directed.
• If the medication is not working, do not take more than you have been directed to take. Overusing asthma medications can be dangerous.
• Do not take cough medicine. These medicines do not help asthma and may cause unwanted side effects.
• Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen , can cause asthma to worsen in certain individuals. These medications should not be taken without the advice of your health-care professional.
• Do not use nonprescription inhalers. These contain a very short-acting inhaler that may not last long enough to relieve an asthma attack and may cause unwanted side effects.
• Do not take any nonprescription preparations, herbs, or supplements even if they are completely “natural,” without talking to your health-care professional first. Some of these may have unwanted side effects or interfere with your medications.
• Be prepared to go on to the next step of your action plan if necessary.

Lifestyle And Home Remedies

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone, including most people with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Besides taking your medication, steps you can take to prevent or minimize symptoms of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction include the following:

• Do around 15 minutes of warmup that varies in intensity before you begin regular exercise.
• Breathe through your nose to warm and humidify the air before it enters your lungs.
• Wear a face mask or scarf when exercising, especially in cold, dry weather.
• If you have allergies, avoid triggers. For example, don’t exercise outside when pollen counts are high.
• Try to avoid areas with high levels of air pollution, such as roads with heavy traffic.

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How Do I Manage Exercise

There is no cure for asthma triggered by exercising or sports. Treatment focuses on preventing and relieving symptoms.

To avoid an episode, you should warm up for at least six minutes before starting exercise. Ask your provider to recommend the best warmup routine for your age and fitness level.

Your provider may recommend one medication or a combination of several medications. Some drugs open your airways while youre experiencing exercise-induced asthma. Other medications prevent an episode. These medications include:

What Is Exercised Induced Bronchoconstriction

Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction , is a temporary narrowing of the lower airways, occurring after vigorous exercise. It may occur in people with asthma or in people without asthma.

In people with asthma who experience EIB, exercise is an asthma trigger. This means that for some people during vigorous exercise the small airways in the lungs become red, swollen, and may become blocked with mucus. This narrows the airways and makes it more difficult to breathe.

Not everybody that has asthma has EIB and some people with EIB may not have asthma

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Exercise Induced Asthma: Best Treatment Options Diagnosis And Management

Date : May 12, 2020

Categories : Articles, Education and Learning, Health Care

Many people wonder what the best treatment for exercise-induced asthma is. Since its incredibly complicated for new patients to control the condition, some have trouble determining the right exercise for their bodies.

All that tightness in the chests, wheezing, and breathlessness may feel like debilitating symptoms, but countless other people are going through the same thing. In fact, from 20% to 50% of Olympic athletes are living with this particular health problem, statistics show.

Its crucial to get the proper treatment and find the right ways to manage it, to keep the condition under control. Here, weve decided to cover all the valuable information you need on exercise-induced asthma, including the diagnosis, medications, and good fitness options.

When Should I See My Healthcare Provider About Eib

If you or your child has symptoms of exercise or sports-induced asthma, call your provider. Several conditions have symptoms that are similar to EIB. Its essential to get evaluated.

If you or your child has severe shortness of breath or trouble breathing, seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 or go directly to the emergency room.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Many people with exercise-induced asthma play sports, enjoy a range of activities and live an active lifestyle. People of all fitness levels, including Olympic athletes and marathon runners, manage asthma and excel at their sports. If you or your child has EIB, be sure to include a warmup routine before exercise. Keep an eye on pollen counts and air quality before you head outside. Talk to your provider about medications that can help you breathe easier. With lifestyle changes and prior planning, you can stay active and exercise safely.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 03/17/2021.

References

Recommended Reading: Can Allergies Cause Asthma Attacks

What Are The Symptoms Of Exercise

Symptoms can range from mild to severe. They can appear a few minutes after you start exercising or after you finish a workout. Symptoms usually start to improve after about 30 minutes of rest.

Sometimes, exercise-induced asthma can return up to 12 hours after youve finished exercising. They can appear even when youre at rest. These are called late-phase symptoms. It may take up to a day for late-phase symptoms to go away.

Symptoms of asthma triggered by exercising include:

• Coughing after running or exercising.
• Severe fatigue.

Best And Worst Workouts For Asthma

Team sports that involve short bursts of exertion — like volleyball, gymnastics, baseball, and wrestling — are good, and so are solo or group leisure activities like walking, biking, and hiking. Swimming is also a good choice because you usually breathe in plenty of warm, moist air while you do it. Itâs also a great way to build upper-body strength.

Activities that involve long periods of exertion, such as soccer, distance running, basketball, and field hockey, may not be as easy. Also, cold-weather sports, such as ice hockey, cross-country skiing, and ice skating, may pose challenges. But many people with asthma are able to fully take part in these activities.

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Sports With Short Bursts Of Activity

The following sports are appropriate for people with asthma. These activities involve intermittent breaks, which are gentler on the lungs.

• baseball

Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell if your symptoms are caused by asthma or just being out of shape. In both cases, the usual symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• sore throat
• upset stomach

Typically, these symptoms start after 5 to 20 minutes of working out. They might continue for 10 to 15 minutes after you stop exercising.

Its common to have these symptoms if youre out of shape. If you have EIB or asthma, the symptoms will be significantly more severe and will likely include coughing and wheezing.

Another sign of EIB is excess mucus production. This occurs due to airway inflammation and usually wont happen because of poor fitness condition.

Key Points About Exercise

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How Can I Deal With Exercise

When it comes to EIA, staying one step ahead of your symptoms is a good strategy. Ask your doctor what you should do before exercising or playing sports.

Here are some of the things doctors suggest for people who have EIA:

• Warm up carefully before any exercise to prevent chest tightening.
• If you do pretreatment, take your medicine as close to the start of exercise as possible.
• Breathe through your nose during exercise.
• Take brief rests during exercise and use quick-relief medicine as prescribed if symptoms start.
• Cool down after exercise.
• Avoid exercising outside during really cold weather. But if you have to, wear a scarf around your nose and mouth or a ski mask.
• If pollen or pollution trigger your asthma, exercise indoors on days when the air quality is bad or the pollen count is high.
• Don’t exercise when you have a cold or the flu.
• Don’t exercise if you’re having asthma symptoms.

Taking medicine exactly as your doctor prescribes is the most important tip of all. Skipping long-term control medicine, if it’s prescribed for you, can make symptoms worse. Forgetting to take medicine before exercise can lead to severe flare-ups and even ER visits.

Finally, always keep your inhaler with you when exercising. You may feel shy about your asthma, but don’t hide it from coaches or teammates they can help you. Coaches especially should know about your asthma so they will understand if you need to take a break and use your medicine.