Asthma Guide for Teens:
Exercise Induced Asthma

 

What is Asthma?	Treatment
Common Symptoms	When to Get Help
Causes and Triggers	Asthma Action Plan
Dealing with Triggers	Living with Asthma
Exercise Induced Asthma	Resources
Getting Diagnosed

What is exercise-induced asthma (EIA)?

Some people only have asthma symptoms when they exercise or play sports. People with EIA have airways that are overly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity, especially when breathing colder, drier air during aerobic exercise. There are some things you can do to help control exercise-induced asthma.

• Take a quick-acting prescription inhaler 15 minutes before you exercise (to open up your lungs)
• Do warm up exercises for about 10-minutes before heavy physical activity
• Begin exercising slowly and work up to a faster pace-This has been found to prevent asthma symptoms during exercise
• If you have symptoms and need your Albuterol more than twice a week, you probably need a medication you can take daily to control your symptoms. This daily controller medication may come as another type of inhaler, or as a pill. SEE YOUR DOCTOR OR NURSE PRACTITIONER IF YOU NEED YOUR DAILY RESCUE MEDICATION (ALBUTEROL) MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK.

If you are having trouble with your asthma while you are exercising, try the following:

• IMMEDIATELY STOP any activity you are doing and stay calm. Sometimes just taking a break helps
• Get out of the cold temperature and away from dust and dirt particles such as dust from a dry soccer field
• Take your quick-relief/Albuterol inhaler (you should always carry one with you if you have asthma!)
• Slow and calm your breathing – breathing fast can make your asthma worse
• Get medical attention if you are not better

 

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Next: Getting Diagnosed

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

 

Updated: 9/4/2009

 

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