Exercise-induced asthma

Diagnosis

To diagnose exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, your healthcare provider will conduct a physical examination and take your medical history. Your provider will ask about the timing and duration of your symptoms and may ask you to perform an activity that usually triggers them, such as running. They may also perform lung function tests and other diagnostic procedures to rule out other conditions.

Test of current lung function

A spirometry test is a type of lung function test that measures the airflow and estimates the amount of air in your lungs. It helps healthcare providers evaluate the strength of your lungs and how well you can breathe. After the initial test, providers may have you take a bronchodilator to see if it improves your airflow and compare the results to the first measurement. This test is crucial for ruling out chronic asthma as the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Exercise challenge tests

The exercise challenge test is used to detect exercise-induced bronchoconstriction by increasing breathing rate through intense exercise on stationary equipment or real-life activities such as climbing stairs. Spirometry tests are conducted before and after the exercise to measure changes in lung function, which can provide evidence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction or exercise-induced asthma problems for people with known asthma.

Methacholine challenge breathing test

The test for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction involves inhaling a substance, typically methacholine, which can narrow the airways in individuals with this condition. The subsequent spirometry test assesses lung function and replicates the conditions that are likely to trigger exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Treatment

Asthma triggered by exercise or sports cannot be cured, but it can be managed with proper treatment. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications that can be taken shortly before exercise or on a daily basis for long-term control. The goal of treatment is to prevent and relieve symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

Pre-exercise medicines

If your doctor has prescribed a medication to take before to working out, find out how long you need to wait before beginning the exercise.

• Short-acting beta agonists (SABAs) are the most frequently recommended drugs to take before working out. These medications include levalbuterol and albuterol. SABAs are drugs that are breathed to help open airways. Avoid using these medications daily as doing so may reduce their effectiveness.
• Ipratropium (Atrovent HFA) is a drug that can be breathed and may be useful for certain persons in relaxing the airways. Ipratropium is also available in a generic form that can be used with a nebulizer.

Long-term control medicines

When preexercise treatment alone is ineffective, your doctor may recommend a long-term control medication to manage underlying asthma or to control symptoms. Usually, these medications are used every day. They consist of:

• Inhaled corticosteroids, which reduce airway inflammation with this. You inhale these medications to consume them. Before you see the greatest results from this treatment, you may need to utilize it for up to four weeks.
• Combination inhalers, which have a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), a drug that relaxes the airways, along with a corticosteroid. These inhalers are intended for long-term management, however your doctor could advise using one before working out.
• Leukotriene modifiers, leukotriene modifiers are oral medications that can be taken daily or before exercise to reduce inflammation in some people. However, they may cause side effects such as changes in behavior and mood, as well as suicidal thoughts. It’s important to speak with a healthcare provider if experiencing these symptoms.
• Mast cell stabilizers. Symptoms can be avoided by taking this prescription around 15 minutes before activity. This medication is administered by a nebulizer, a device that creates tiny droplets of liquid medicines for inhalation.