Asthma is one condition that can leave an individual unaffected one minute and debilitated the next. This illness causes one's airways to become inflamed, swell, or narrow as well as producing extra mucus, making breathing sometimes very difficult.
Symptoms of asthma are shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. It affects different people in various ways; some rarely experience symptoms and have few problems when they do, whereas others may have severe attacks and find it necessary to go to the hospital and receive treatment or medication.
Most patients that are affecting by this ailment are prescribed some sort of medication by their doctor to help prevent attacks and make it easier for them to function from day to day. Because asthma is something that can be treated fairly easily, it is sometimes brushed off as a very serious condition.
However, attacks that are untreated or not monitored can become life-threatening or fatal. Even with modern medicine, the condition cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be controlled through specific medication regimens.
Asthmatic attacks are triggered by all different types of stimuli, depending upon how serious an individual's symptoms are. One category of this condition is exercise-induced, or EIA.
It is triggered by physical activity and causes inflammation in the airways, making it very difficult for the individual to breathe. This means that when a person suffering from EIA exercises, they are likely to experience spasms or constricting in the lungs or airways.
The most common symptoms of exercise-induced asthma are coughing, wheezing, fatigue, tightness in the chest, inability to perform athletically, or shortness of breath. All of these things can get in the way of an athlete's ability to participate in a sport or event.
Most of the time, there are certain triggers than can make the condition worse; determining these beforehand can help alleviate the frequency of attacks when the person is taking part in sports or physical activity. Doctors usually try to create a treatment of both preventative, like avoiding triggers, and medicinal measures, such as taking medication and having emergency supplies on hand in case the airway becomes too inflamed to breathe.
One measure that is taken to relax the airways before exercise and possibly prevent problems from occurring is the inhaled bronchodilator. There are also longer lasting types, mast cell stabilizers, and leukotriene modifiers that can be utilized as preventative medication.
If you notice that you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms when you exercise, it may be necessary for you to pay a visit to your doctor and have a physical examination performed. They will be able to inform you whether or not you are asthmatic and if so, how the problem can be fixed or health maintained.
They may even be able to recommend exercises and workouts for you to perform that will not cause trauma to your airways. Once you know your triggers, it will be much easier to avoid them when exercising.
Some common types are the cold, heat, high pollution, allergens, or other illnesses like colds. If you know that one of these affects you, then it is suggested that you avoid any type of physical activity when the seriousness or levels of triggers may be at their peak.
When you do find yourself having an asthma attack, there are a few things that you should know in order to get help and keep the issue from progressing into something worse. The first thing you must do is stop the activity that you have been performing altogether; you should also do your best to stay calm.
Get as far away from possible triggers as you can, for instance dust, pollen, or temperature. Try to slow down any erratic breathing, and take prescription medications that you have received from a doctor.
If this process has been completed and the symptoms are still severe or uncomfortable, it is probably necessary to seek medical help immediately. Just because an individual suffers from the condition of exercise-induced asthma does not mean that they have to completely fore go taking part in any form of physical fitness or activity.
Seeking insight from a doctor on the types of triggers to avoid, as well as medications that can be taken to prevent attacks should help you to remain breathing healthfully and regularly, even throughout workouts. Exercise is important to everyone's bodies and must be performed to maintain fitness, despite obstacles that may get in the way.
Author Resource:-
Tom Selwick is a personal trainer and has authored hundreds of articles relating to physical training and spinning bikes. He has been a health expert and physical trainer for over 15 years.
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