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May starts the peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers. In the US, approximately 25 million people have asthma of which almost 7 million are children.

 

Asthma vs. Allergies

 

Asthma is a disease of the lungs in which the airways become blocked or narrowed causing difficulty breathing. Since asthma is an disease you are typically born with there is no cause to the disease, but more likely a cause to what makes symptoms appear. These are called triggers and would lead to the signs and symptoms of asthma.

 

Triggers include:

 

1) Substances that cause allergies such as dust mites, pollen and pet dander

2) Irritants in the air such as cigarette smoke and fumes like gasoline and house paint

3) Colds and sinus infections (this is the #1 trigger for children)

4) Exercise induced asthma (EIA) triggered by physical activity that increases ventilation, the rate in which you breathe.  We’ll get to this more later.

 

Allergies are diseases of the immune system that cause an overreaction to substances called “allergens.” Allergies are grouped by the kind of trigger, time of year or where symptoms appear on the body.

 

What are the symptoms of allergies?

 

Symptoms of allergies can vary in severity from mild to moderate.

Mild allergy symptoms include:

 

  • Congestion
  • Skin rash
  • Itchy water eyes

 

Moderate allergy symptoms include:

 

  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Itchiness

 

What are the effects of asthma?

 
The effects of asthma are typically temporary and symptoms include:

     

  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tightness in the chest

 

Severe asthma symptoms can pose a much bigger problem.  They often begin with itching of the eyes and face, but soon progress to swelling, causing breathing difficulties, cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Confusion and dizziness are further symptoms of asthma.

 

A little more about Exercise Induced Asthma

 

EIA affects 80-90% of those that participate in vigorous activity.  When you exercise you breathe faster due to the increased oxygen demands of your body. Usually during exercise you inhale through your mouth, causing the air to be dryer and cooler than when you breathe through your nasal passages. This decrease in warmth and humidity both cause the restriction of the passageway. Symptoms usually start to appear a few minutes into the workout and can get worse a few minutes after stopping the exercise. The symptoms typically dissipate 30 minutes after stopping although sometimes there is a delay known as late phase in which symptom do not go away for up to 24 hours. EIA tends to be worse when exposed to cold air, high pollen counts, pollution and fumes.

 

If you feel that you are in great shape, yet have asthma symptoms it is important to be tested by a doctor. Sometimes people who exercise can get shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing and just be out of shape! Once you are diagnosed you can be treated with different medications.

 

How does EIA effect exercise?

 

Being diagnosed with exercise induced asthma should not stop a person from being active and working out, they will just need to be aware of a few things before embarking on an exercise program.  It is important to monitor respiratory function throughout the exercise session.  Warming up before working out is extremely helpful. Taking any prescribed medication before exercise is important as well.

 

The type of exercise should be noted as well. Short bursts of exercise with adequate rest is a good choice. Walking, swimming and biking are good cardiovascular options. Activities where you can breathe warm air instead of cold air is more tolerable and the best option.

 

It’s important to stay active to be healthy so don’t let exercise induced asthma stop you. Following a plan from your doctor to keep it under control, listening to your body and working out safely can keep EIA in check. For more information on an exercise plan, contact us.

 
References:

 

1.”Exercise- Induced Asthma”. Accessed May 1, 2015. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of  America. http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=17&cont=168

2. “Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month 2015”. Accessed May 1, 2015. What Health.  http://www.whathealth.com/awareness/event/asthmaallegerymonth.html

3. Image courtesy of marin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Brent

Brent

President, Personal Training Manager at Body By Brent LLC
Brent
Brent
Brent