Difficulty Breathing After Exercise

Difficulty Breathing After Exercise

Exercise that is vigorous enough so that you have to breathe more strongly, it is beneficial for the lungs and for the heart. If you experience respiratory distress after exercise, it could be due to overtraining only. If the problem persists and is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.

Identification

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After exercising, your breathing should return to normal level in a few minutes. If this delays or if the impairment persists for an hour or more, it could indicate a problem. Respiratory difficulties may be associated with additional symptoms such as tightness in the chest, cough, headache, wheezing or an increased heart rate.

Causes

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The most common cause of the respiratory problem is asthma induced by exercise where the airways become inflamed and narrow. A heart disease can make it difficult for the heart to pump enough blood to supply oxygen to your body. A hiatus hernia or acid reflux caused by exercise can cause stomach acid to be sucked into the lungs creating a difficulty in breathing. One of the life-threatening causes of shortness of breath is a blood clot in the lungs, known as pulmonary embolism. A study conducted in 2005 at the Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonary Division at Children of the Children's Hospital of Iowa found several additional causes for exercise-induced breathing problems, including vocal cord dysfunction, hyperventilation, cardiac arrhythmias and physical alterations such as scoliosis.

Prevention / Solution

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If you have asthma induced by exercise, you should avoid exercising when the air is cold, dry or contaminated or during the season with the greatest presence of pollen. Neither should you do it when you have a respiratory illness. Your doctor can give you a quick-relief inhaler or other medications such as steroids or antihistamines to treat the disease. In severe cases of breathing difficulties due to exercise you must decrease the activity level and increase it little by little. If your problem is caused by a hiatus hernia you should lose weight and avoid the foods that trigger the production of acid.

Warning

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Seek immediate medical attention if you have trouble breathing so much that you have trouble walking or talking or if your chest or neck is sucked or pushed with each breath.If you feel dizzy and have trouble concentrating or if your breathing is accompanied by chest pain or tightness, you may need urgent medical attention. If you are just starting to exercise, especially if you are older or if you are overweight, consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

Video Tutorial: Warning About Breathing Problems During Exercise.

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