Are you exercising more? Fantastic! Sometimes, symptoms of exercise-induced asthma can be mistaken for feeling out of shape.
If you have any of these symptoms of exercise-induced asthma once you start exercising, it can make you want to give up. But don’t; you can be treated!
How can you tell if you have exercise-induced asthma? Here are five common signs:
Cardio causes coughing
Coughing and shortness of breath are two of the most common symptoms of exercise-induced asthma. You may not think these symptoms are a result of asthma. These symptoms can start a few minutes after exercising or well into your workout. Once you start working harder, that’s when it may begin.
Your chest and throat feel tight
You may feel like you can’t take a deep breath, get enough air or your throat may tighten. Stop and catch your breath. If it happens again once you start, stop exercising and see your doctor to determine the cause.
Instead of feeling energized, you feel exhausted
Exercise should provide a boost. If you are feeling exhausted during exercise, it could be a sign of exercise-induced asthma. Many people chalk it up to fatigue or make other excuses. Most people rarely feel fatigue without also having a respiratory problem. Your doctor can confirm this for you.
Recovering from a workout takes longer
Regular exercisers without asthma can usually recover within 2-3 minutes depending on fitness level. Asthma sufferers can take as long as 30 minutes or more. A short acting inhaler to use before exercising may help. If it doesn’t, you may have regular asthma and will need additional medication.
You’re feeling out of shape when you shouldn’t
Exercise-induced asthma can make you feel sluggish and out of shape no matter your fitness level. Properly treated, you should still be able to do the kind of exercise you want.
If you suspect you might have exercise-induced asthma, make an appointment today with one of our board certified allergists at any one of our five locations.
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