Exercise Induced Asthma

As winter Olympians prepare for the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, many of them are developing training regimens that take into consideration their exercise-induced asthma (EIA). EIA is quite common in highly competitive athletes and with the winter Olympics right around the corner, athletes need to exercise caution, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

According to a study by DR John Weiler, 44 of the 196 US athletes who participated in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan had asthma.

In a previous study Weiler found that 16.7% of the athletes participating in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta had asthma.

The AAAAI estimates that approximately 18 million Americans (7% of the population) have asthma.

When these individuals participate in strenuous exercise, most of them will experience some asthma symptoms. But an additional 5-7% of the population who do not otherwise have asthma will have asthma symptoms when they engage in strenuous activity, which is known as exercise-induced asthma.

Individuals who have EIA have airways that are sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity, especially when breathing cold, dry air.

Normally when we breathe, air passes through the nose, which humidifies and warms the air. During strenuous activity, people tend to breathe through their mouths and colder, drier air reaches the lower airways.

Air that passes through the nose has about 80-90% humidity, whereas air that passes directly into the lungs through the mouth only has a relative humidity of 60-70%.

In addition, the nose may clean the air by removing pollutants such as pollen, dirt and molds, all of which can be contributing factors for an asthma attack.

People with EIA typically experience trouble breathing within the first 5-20 minutes of exertion; some have problems occur after they stop exercising. Symptoms may include: Wheezing, Chest tightness, Coughing Chest pain, Prolonged shortness of breath, beginning 5-10 minutes after brief exercise.

"Asthma can affect both summer and winter athletes, but it does not have to be a hindrance to overall athletic performance if proper treatment and medication are utilized," said Christopher Randolph, Chair of the AAAAI's Sports Medicine Committee. "EIA can be easily and effectively treated through the use of a prescribed 'pretreatment.' Usually administered in the form of a short-acting inhaled medication, the medicine is rapid acting and lasts four to six hours.

"Regardless of the medicines you use, it's important to talk to your physician about using daily medication that treats the underlying asthma, and to use good technique with your inhaled medicines."

In addition to medication, warm-up and cool-down periods before and after exercise may alleviate the chest tightness that can occur after exertion. Also a good idea to restrict exercise during cold weather, when you have a viral infection or, if you have allergies, when pollen and air pollution levels are high.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.