Dr. Curt ChaffinQ: I have asthma. What steps can I take to avoid a flare-up while exercising?
A: Asthma has many triggers including infections, allergens,and other irritants but exercise tends to be a common trigger. There are some easy steps that can reduce the effects of exercise on asthma. The first step is to be sure and have a warm-up period which reduces the effects of exercise on asthma. The second is paying attention to the environment when you are exercising. If you have had allergy testing and know which allergic triggers are problematic, you will want to avoid the double exposure of both exercise and exposure to these allergens at the same time. If taking these precautions still does not result in symptom-free exercise then there may be medications that need to be considered.
– Dr. Curt Chaffin, The Allergy & Asthma Group; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
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