EXERCISING WITH ASTHMA

EXERCISE AND ASTHMA
Virtually everyone with asthma will experience to some degree of bronchial restriction during exercise. Even so, it is important to exercise on a regular basis. Not only is exercise good for your overall health, but some people with asthma find that getting into good physical shape can make breathing easier.
Exercise triggers asthma symptoms because it forces you to breathe more deeply and heavily than you do when you are at rest. As large volumes of air are drawn through the bronchial tubes and deep into the chest, the bronchial tubes give up heat and moisture to warm and humidify the incoming air. This causes the bronchial tubes to cool and dry out. The bronchial muscles contract in response, narrowing the airways and making it difficult to breathe. Although exercise in any climate can trigger asthma symptoms, cold, dry air is the strongest stimulus to bronchial narrowing.
A variety of strategies are effective in preventing an asthma attack after exercise:
Exercise indoors, where the climate is controlled.
On a cold day, where a cold-weather face mask or wrap a scarf around your mouth and nose to trap a little bit of warm, moist air in front of your mouth.
Warm up before exercising; this often helps to reduce symptoms.
Take a medication before exercising to block bronchial muscle constrriction. You can take a quick-acting bronchodilator, such as albuterol or pirbuterol, 5-10 minutes before exercise. Or take the mast cell stabilizer cromolyn 15-20 minutes before exercise.
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