Dr.Kamini Silvarajan MD/AAAM

Editorial Board: Dr.Kamini Silvarajan MD/AAAM

Asthma Sufferers Exercise

Usually asthmatic sufferers are frighten to get involve in strenuous activities such as exercise, they are worried that they might get an attack during the exercise activity. However, many experts believe that regular exercise in the right and proper way will bring significant advantages, physical and mental health to sufferers.

The most common symptoms of asthma that usually occur during exercise is coughing, tightness, pain in the chest, and shortness of breath. When these symptoms occur, you should stop the physical activity immediately.

Here are some useful tips to prevent the asthma attack during exercise activity.
Firstly, choose the certain kind of exercise that really can handle well. Some great choice of exercise for asthma sufferers are walking, swimming, riding a bike, and also hiking. 

These kinds of exercise needs less physical move than tennis, hockey, gymnastics, long distance running and many others. Alternatively, if you do not have an ideal of what kind to choose, you could also consult your doctors for the choice of most appropriate type of exercise for you.

Secondly, as you know inhaler is a great advantage, you can use your inhaler about 15 minutes before you start to exercise. Obviously you will never know when the attack might hit you, so make sure your inhaler is always in hand with you. Providing inhaler as first aid near you is very important.

Thirdly, it is important to breathe through your nose during the exercise. Mouth breathing tends to trigger asthma attack since it causes you to inhale cold air right into the bronchial tube. In contrary, the air that you heal will be filtered well and also allows the air to be warmer before reaching the lungs when you are breathing through your nose.

The fourth factor is looking for a certain area that is free from pollutions, allergen and with too many trees or grass around. During the exercise you should also be aware of the symptoms of asthma such as tiredness and tightening of your chest, followed by wheezing which are the initial symptoms of asthma. When these symptoms occur, just stop doing any physical activity.

Basically asthma sufferers could still do exercise with less risk of asthma attack if they follow the above tips. Do not let asthma attack prevent you from your regular physical exercise activities.