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What Is Sports Asthma?

Sports Asthma, also called exercise-induced asthma, is a type of asthma flare-up which occurs as a result of exercising. According to Adult and Pediatric Allergy of Northern Virginia, approximately 80 percent of asthmatics are prone to sports asthma. Kids Health explains that the statistics in children are more staggering, with an estimated 90 percent of asthmatic children being sensitive to exercise. Although your asthma can flare up from exercising, there are steps you can take to help reduce the risk of an asthma attack and still play the sports you enjoy.

  1. Cause

    • Exercising is not the root cause of asthma flare-ups. In fact, it is attributed to the way that air moves through your bronchial tubes while exercising. When playing sports, particularly outdoors, you often face changes in temperature and humidity. Kids Health reports that such changes irritate your airways, causing inflammation. Inflammation is one of the causes of asthma flare-ups, along with airway constriction. Cold, dry weather tends to constrict your airways more than hot, humid air.

    Symptoms

    • According to Adult and Pediatric Allergy of Northern Virginia, sports asthma symptoms typically appear after you exercise for eight to 12 minutes. Symptoms tend to last longer in children, even after exercise is complete. Sports asthma symptoms are similar to other types of asthma flare-ups, and may include breathing difficulties, wheezing, coughing, and chest pains. If you cough long after exercising or cannot play sports for a long period of time without resting, you may have sports asthma.

    Diagnosis

    • Kids Health reports that sports asthma is often undiagnosed, due to the fact that the severity of symptoms varies between individuals. Typically breathing tests are performed to help diagnose asthma. If your symptoms do not improve and sports asthma is suspected, your doctor may conduct breathing tests after you exercise. These tests can measure airway function after exercising to help determine whether you are prone to exercise-induced asthma.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Treatment for sports asthma depends on how severe and frequent the symptoms are. Rescue inhalers are often the solution for infrequent flare-ups and can even be used before exercising to help open up your airways. However, rescue medications only treat airway constriction. In order to help reduce inflammation, your doctor may recommend a long-term controller medication that is taken daily to help prevent asthma flare-ups.

    Considerations

    • Exercise-induced asthma should not prevent you from playing sports. However, Kids Health explains that certain long-endurance sports may be more challenging for people with sports asthma. These include basketball, skiing, running, soccer, and hockey. Sports that are less likely to cause sports asthma are walking, hiking, short track, gymnastics, golf, football, and baseball.

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