Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the air passages, characterized by sudden periods of breathing difficulty, known as asthma attacks, or asthma episodes. There are several different types of asthma – and one of them is known as exercise-induced asthma.

As the name suggests, exercise-induced asthma is asthmatic conditions triggered by long periods of strenuous physical activities or exercise sessions. During exercise, we tend to breathe in through the mouth, inhaling dry cold air, unlike in normal conditions when we breathe in through the nasal passages, where the air gets warm and moistened. The airways react to this change in humidity and temperature by contracting, thus narrowing the passages. This obstructs the airflow in the lungs and triggers asthma symptoms including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightening of the chest, and unusual fatigue during exercise.

Exercising indoors, performing warm-up exercises, wearing a mask in cold weather, and avoiding prolonged exercises outdoors can help alleviate the chances of an exercise-induced asthma attack. However it is advisable to consult a doctor for proper medications as asthma can result in poor performance for professional athletes.  Treatments of such conditions may include inhalers or asthma medications to be taken at appropriate times which may include before, or after exercise sessions. Proper diagnosis and treatment of asthma will allow one to exercise without the fear of an asthma attack.