by Bella Cooper

Created on: March 11, 2008   Last Updated: May 22, 2010

I didn't suffer from asthma as a child. Worse, I actually judged the children at school who needed inhalers, thinking they were peculiar, unathletic and strange. Little did I know, one decade later I would be hit with the same disorder.

I developed exercise-induced asthma when I was 23 years old. I've always been an athlete, and competitive soccer and jogging have played a large role in all periods of my life. As you might imagine, it came as a huge shock when I had my first asthma attack on the soccer field. Why now? Why didn't I have this as a child? After doing a fair amount of research, I learned that adult-onset exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is actually quite common, especially for women. It typically coincides with development of various allergies, which can also trigger asthmatic responses.

Here is some information that I think is most important to know about exercise-induced asthma:

Symptoms (Typically occurring about 5-10 minutes after aerobic exercise)

- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Tightening of the chest
- Accelerated heart rate
- Coughing

Aggravators

- Cold and dry weather
- Pollutants in the air
- Allergens
- Respiratory infections

Treatment (To be used either prior to exercise as a pre-treatment, or after a flare-up)

- Inhaled bronchodilator
- Long term beta-2 agonists
- Corticosteroid inhaler

Other Tips

- Be sure to properly warm-up before exercise, and cool-down after
- Take short rests during exercise
- Don't exercise if you are sick, or if the weather is very cold and dry

If you are an athlete who recently developed EIA, it may seem like your life is over. I promise, it will get better! You just need to learn to understand what your body is feeling, and how to prevent and treat responses to exercise. After my first asthma attack, I took months off from exercise because I was scared that I would get an attack again. Now, I am back to running four days a week and routinely playing soccer games. I have an inhaler, and I have learned to know exactly when my body starts to feel the first asthma symptoms, and can adjust my workout levels accordingly.

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