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Exercise-induced asthma rates are high in athletes

Posted September 12, 2007 at 02:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Injuries & Rehab, His Health, Physical Health

asthma1 Proper breathing is essential for every athlete. As anyone involved in athletics knows, without the correct breathing technique, you are greatly compromising your ability to perform up to your potential. Unfortunately, thanks to a condition called asthma, not every person has control over their ability to breathe. Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the breathing passages of the lungs. And while this condition is known to afflict many individuals, it is a specific form of asthma- referred to as “exercise-induced”- that researchers have noticed occurring in a large proportion of athletes.

Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a type of asthma that occurs in individuals who often have no other triggers and do not experience asthma under any other circumstances. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, EIA occurs anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes after intense physical exertion and causes such symptoms as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness or pain in the chest. As the Washington Post reports, it is this type of asthma that occurs in one out of three college athletes.

According to the Post, Dr. Jonathan Parsons, associate director of the Ohio State University Medical Center’s Asthma Center, and his team studied 107 varsity athletes and found that 39% tested positive for EIA , the majority of which had no prior history of asthma attacks. This is on top of previous research reported by Medical News Today that indicated 20% of competitive athletes and 1 out of 6 Olympic athletes suffer from the condition. However, despite such significant percentages, scientists are still in the process of determining exactly why this prevalence of EIA exists among athletes, making it clear that more research needs to be done in this particular area of study.

Let’s concentrate on what we do know, such as the triggers of EIA. Luckily, not all forms of exercise lead to attacks. As reported by EMedicineHealth.com, the activities that most often lead to EIA attacks are ones that require continuous activity and/or are played in colder weather, examples of which include soccer, hockey, long-distance running, and basketball. Once an attack is triggered, airways begin to swell and secrete excessive amounts of mucus leading to breathing difficulties. Sports that are less of a trigger for EIA are ones that require only short bursts of activity that allow for breaks in between. Hiking, walking, short-distance sprints, swimming, and football are all types of exercise that are more friendly to the individual with EIA.

Of course, don’t think that the occasional loss of breath during exercise is the result of EIA. As Dr. Parsons has pointed out, such a symptom does not necessarily lead to a diagnosis of asthma. Consequently, he and many others in the medical community are calling for the development of routine asthma diagnosis and management among athletes. By better understanding what EIA is and how to treat it, inaccurate diagnoses and unnecessary treatments will be avoided.

Fortunately for those who do suffer from EIA, there are solid treatments in place that help athletes safely and successfully participate in sports and exercise. Some precautions that help prevent attacks include warming up before strenuous activity, avoiding intense exercise during cold weather or when you have a cold or the flu, and quitting smoking if applicable. As for medications, many individuals with EIA use both short- and long-acting inhalers that help reduce risk of attack.

EIA does not mean the end to exercise. Though it is a serious condition, it is highly treatable and should not be thought of as a deterrent to an active life. As always, your physician can help you decide the best route to take.

Reserach sources and for more information: [The Washington Post], [Medical News Today], [EMedicineHealth.com], [AAAAI.org]; [picture]