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Triggers
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There is a cross section
of medical expertise on it alone. But exercise induces asthma does
not mean that you should stop doing exercise. Do not flex your
muscles unless you read the following tips.
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Asthmatic symptoms triggered by exercise
is called "Exercise induced Asthma" (EIA). These symptoms are
frequently triggered if exercise is performed in cold and dry air.
It is one of the earliest symptom of asthma.
At least 80% people
with asthma have symptoms triggered by vigorous exercise. In some
people with asthma, exercise induced symptoms may be the only
manifestation of asthma. Though it may also be an indication of
under-treatment but sometimes even well controlled patients on
inhaled steroids may have exercise induced symptoms.
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It does not
mean that one should stop doing exercise. Rather, appropriately
adapted exercises can improve the patient's asthma. There are many
sportsman suffering from asthma who have won even the gold medals in
the Olympics. Jacky Joynar Kersy is great example who won four gold
medals in the Olympics. Exercise can aggravate asthma severity.
But exercise induced asthma does not mean that one should stop doing
exercises. Rather, appropriately adapted exercises can improve
patient's asthma. A common ruling can be: If play induces asthma, do
not stop! Learn ways to play with asthma.
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When to avoid
exercise?
The patients,
whose asthma is not controlled, should avoid doing
exercises, games and hard physical work. Usually
exercise induced asthma, begins about five minutes after
starting a particular exercise or play. If asthmatic
problem starts within five minutes, then it indicates
that asthma is not controlled completely and the
medicines are inadequate. In such a situation a patient
should not try to do exercise till the asthma is
controlled.
Asthmatic symptoms during later part of
exercise schedule or after completion of exercise is an
indication of use of short acting beta agonist medicine.
Such person should use prophylactic medicine before
starting exercise.
Exercise is
harmful or useful in asthma?
Exercise done in asthmatic
style is useful in asthma. Regular exercise makes people
active & generate self esteem. In some people exercise
reduces severity of asthma and hence useful.
Therefore except in small number of symptomatic patients
exercise is useful.
Exercise and
Asthmatic Style
Most people with asthma will have an
asthma attack if they exercise specially in cold and dry
air. Some measures can save such patients from agony of
EIA.
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TRIGGER:
EXERCISE
EXPOSURE |
ASTHMATIC
STYLE |
| Strenuous
exercise or hard work: |
- In the beginning of
exercise there should be a warm-up exercise. It
may be either 20 minutes of sub maximal exercise or
5 sprints of 30 seconds half an hour before strenuous
exercise. It will reduce the chances of asthma
during exercise.
- Prophylactic medicines:
Some medicines if taken before exercise would
prevent exercise induced asthma. These include:
- Beta 2 agonist short
acting: 2-4 inhalations few minutes before
exercise.
- Beta 2 agonist long
acting: 2 inhalations at least 30 minutes before
exercise.
- Sodium cromoglycate: 2-4
inhalations few minutes before
exercise.
- Nedocromal sodium: 2-4
inhalations few minutes before
exercise.
- During exercise patient
should take breath by nose rather than by
mouth.
- One should control fast
breathing during exercise.
- Increasing the speed of
exercise slowly.
- Some exercises such as
swimming or walking does not induce asthma.
Games such
as tennis, golf or cricket can also be played
without exercise induced asthma.
- After hard work or play one
should stop exercise slowly with a cool-down
period of few minutes. Jogging and walking may be
done during cool-down period.
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| Playing or
exercise in cold dry climate: |
- A patient should play in
warm and moist climate rather than cold and dry
climate. It is good to swim in hot
water.
- In cool and dry climate
exercise should be done after wearing a mask or a
scarf over the face.
- All other precautions
mentioned in earlier section.
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| Exercise
Induced Asthma
What are different patterns of
exercise induced asthma?
In some persons the exercise
for a short duration of time can induce asthma, while
slow exercise for a long duration of time doesn't
aggravate asthma. But in others it is just the
reverse.
Therefore it is necessary for all asthmatic
patients to understand how does exercise bring an
episode of asthma. Some of the common patterns are as
follows:
- Intense exercise short
period
- Intense exercise for long
duration
- In
the beginning of exercise
- After
termination of exercise
- During
exercise
- Type
of exercise: Less with swimming & more with long
distance running
- Slow
exercise for long period
- Asthma in the beginning of
exercise but problem is over with continued
exercise.
Why exercise causes
asthma?
The mechanism of exercise induced asthma is still
unknown. Recently conducted research in this connection
found that the inhalation of dry and cold air into the
lungs aggravate asthma. It is proposed that it leads to
loss of water from the lungs. Magnitude of water loss is
proportional to severity of asthma. This fact is partly
responsible for exercise induced asthma during winters.
How to recognize
Exercise induced asthma?
The
clue of exercise induced asthma is that the symptoms of
cough, chest tightness, wheeze and difficulty in
breathing appear as soon as person stops exercise.
Normal breathlessness after exertion subsides quickly as
exercise is stopped. Asthma induced breathlessness
however comes on a minute or so after exertion. It can
then get rapidly worse over few minutes and attack can
lasts up to half an hour or so.
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How
a football player conquers
asthma?
Example:
Ramesh, played
football with his friends in the school. His
asthmatic problem started few years back. He
become quite nervous. On one hand there was the
pleasure of playing football while on other hand
there was the severe agony of asthma. In such a
dilemma, Ramesh sought out a way in which he did
not play in the field but played as a
goal-keeper.
Curiosity:
-
Can Ramesh play safely?
- How
the problem was solved ?
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The dilemma did not have an end
here. He was still confused whether to play a
game or not. During treatment the doctor told
Ramesh to avoid all the factors aggravating
asthma. Exercise used to aggravate his asthma
therefore Ramesh's father told Ramesh not to
play.One
night on having asthma attack Ramesh told that
he did not play, but remained standing as a goal
keeper. His father was much annoyed on hearing
this and told him not to play in any case.
Ramesh got dejected. His friends enjoyed the
thrill of playing and he felt gloomy and
breathed deeply. Then, one day his father took
him to an asthma specialist. After his complete
check-up Ramesh asked the doctor apprehending
that could he ever play in his life. The asthma
specialist looked at him and told that
undoubtedly he can play but after observing a
few precautions. A candle of hope lighted in his
darkened room of heart. Under the guidance of
the specialist, Ramesh started playing and today
he is in the state football team. Ramesh feels
that every asthmatic patient should know the
method to control and conquer this disease.
Thus one can lead a happy, asthma
free-life.
Expert
Comments:
Improvement in asthma was
probably two folds. On basis of natural history of
asthma, it usually improves during adolescence and therefore
asthma improved. Secondly, regular exercise conditions
the body which improves asthma. Exercise triggers asthma
and therefore some people avoid playing which is
counterproductive. All asthmatic patients should play to
condition their body. Please
click here to share your similar experiences
with others 
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HOW
CRICKET LEADS TO AN ASTHMA-FREE
LIFE?
Example:
I do not exactly remember but even from the
early days of my memory I remember asthma was my
companion. In the initial days I remember distinctly my
mother used to give me some herbal medicine "Kadha".
The name of the drug was "pasarkatali", a creeping
vine of dhatura family. Later on it became seasonal and
with climate change I used to develop asthmatic attacks for
which I was prescribed Asmapax depot tablet. I
continued with it for 4-5 years. On comfortable days I
omitted tablet but on worse days I had to take it. For
7-8 months in a year I had to take tablet.
Curiosity:
- Will I be able to
lead a successful life?
- How the problem was solved?
At 16 years
of age I started going to college. I played cricket and
in the evening regularly played other games.
Surprisingly, my asthma severity reduced markedly. In
that
whole one year I had to take tablet only for 1-2
months. For 3-4 years I played regularly and my
asthma remained a minor problem. But for the last two
years, I left regular play and my asthma problem became
severe again this year. I cannot say anything but it
appears that my asthma was linked with cricket and other
games.
Expert Comments:
Regular exercise is benefical in asthma.
Please
click here to share your similar experiences with others
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