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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffIt isn't clear exactly what causes exercise-induced asthma, and why some people get it and others don't. In susceptible individuals, symptoms may be triggered by drying or cooling of the airways during heavy breathing.
Factors that can trigger or worsen exercise-induced asthma include:
- Cold air
- Dry air
- Air pollution such as smoke or smog
- High pollen counts
- Having a respiratory infection such as a cold
- Chemicals, such as chlorine in swimming pools
There's no particular exercise you must avoid when you have exercise-induced asthma, but activities that make you breathe hard are more likely to trigger symptoms. For example, aerobic exercise, such as running or playing basketball, hockey or soccer, is more likely to trigger symptoms than is weightlifting, golfing or moderate-paced walking. Likewise, exercising in cold weather also can increase asthma symptoms because you're breathing in a lot of cold, dry air.
But don't let that discourage you. With proper treatment, you can do intense aerobic activities — and cold-weather workouts — without asthma symptoms slowing you down.
- Krafczyk MA, et al. Exercise-induced bronchospasm: Diagnosis and management. American Family Physician. 2011;84:427.
- Pathogenesis, prevalence, diagnosis, and management of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: A practice parameter. Palatine, Ill.: The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/Aaaai/media/MediaLibrary/PDF%20Documents/Practice%20and%20Parameters/Exercise-induced-bronchoconstriction-2011.pdf. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Rakel D. Pulmonary problems. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-2/0/1494/0.html. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Asthma and exercise: Tips to remember. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/asthma-and-exercise.aspx. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Exercise-induced asthma. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=17&cont=168. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Parker MJ. Asthma. Otolaryngology Clinics of North America. 2011;44:667.
- Covar RA, et al. Allergic disorders. In: Hay WW, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6589316. Accessed September 26, 2011.
- Expert panel report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda, Md.: National Institutes of Health. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/07_sec3_comp4.pdf. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Updated information on leukotriene inhibitors: Montelukast (marketed as Singulair), zafirlukast (marketed as Accolate), and zileuton (marketed as Zyflo and Zyflo CR). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm165489.htm. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- FDA drug safety communication: New safety requirements for long-acting inhaled asthma medications called long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm200776.htm. Accessed Sept. 26, 2011.
- Asthma action plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/asthma/asthma_actplan.pdf. Accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
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