Expert: Marc Rubin, RPh Asthma Educator - 4/27/2009

Question
A couple of semesters ago I took the class "Walk/Jog". After running 1/4 - 1/2 of a mile I started to slow down to a slow walk. I began to cough and of course my chest hurt and seemed kind of tight. The teacher of the course asked if I had asthma. As I was never really an athletic kid I said "no". I figured it was just me being a poor runner because, as I said, I was never athletic.

Well, I have been going to the gym here lately. In the controlled envrionment where there's an air conditioner going I average an hour on a cross trainer (cardio + strength training) on level 15. Though I could stay on longer I just picked an hour as a good stopping point. I'm only slightly out of breath when completing the cross trainer (on which I do speeds up to 6 mph).

So, I figured that I'd be better at running. I'm not. I still can't get enough air it feels like. I still feel my chest tighten up.

So I'm wondering now if all of my life I wasn't a poor runner, but someone with Asthma?

What do you think?

Answer
Hi Tegan,

As one who also does 1 hour on a Precor Ellipse unit, I also find that it doesn't relate to actual running (or cycling, which is the sport I love).

There may be a couple of issues at hand here.

First, the test for asthma is easy. Discuss with your doctor to have a spirometry test done. There are two ways to do this, and the pulmonologist may want to do both. One way is you do the breathing test, then are given a breathing treatment with albuterol, and then the test is repeated, If your improvement is greater than 12%, or lung volume increases 200ml or greater after the albuterol, you have reversible airway constriction...asthma. Another way is using a chemical call methacholine (called the methacholine challenge). If following the inhalation of methacholine you do NOT have a breathing reaction, then you don't have asthma. It is useful for determining asthma due to exercise alone when there is no allergy component (or occupational asthma).

Second, I don't know where you live, but certain regions have a higher level of ozone and air pollution, both of which affects everyone's lungs. Therefore, in a controlled environment like the health club, you do fine, but outside, with exercise, you are inhaling larger volumes of polluted air, irritating the lungs, leading to your problem.

Bottom line, the only way to know for sure is through testing. If you test positive, you will then start on the road of asthma education to take control of the issue, and live a full, happy, energetic life. If you've read some of my previous postings, ~ 15% of Olympic athletes have asthma, therefore, with medication and knowledge, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Marc