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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Exercise-induced asthma symptoms can include:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness or pain
- Fatigue during exercise
- Poor athletic performance
Exercise-induced asthma symptoms may start a few minutes after you begin exercising, and they may continue to worsen for another 10 minutes or so after you've finished a workout. It's possible to have symptoms both during and after exercise.
Feeling a little short of breath or fatigued when you work out is normal, especially if you aren't in great shape. But with exercise-induced asthma, these symptoms can be more severe.
For many people, exercise is just one of a few asthma triggers. Others can include pollen, pet dander and other airborne allergens.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you cough, wheeze, or have chest pain or tightness during or after exercise. Many people don't realize they have exercise-induced asthma because they think these are their body's normal responses to working out. Don't assume your symptoms are caused by being out of shape or short on endurance.
Seek immediate medical treatment if you have worsening symptoms. Severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening. Signs of an asthma attack that needs emergency treatment include:
- Shortness of breath or wheezing that is quickly getting worse
- No improvement even after using a rescue inhaler, such as an albuterol inhaler
- Shortness of breath that continues even after you've recovered from your workout
- 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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