breathing exercise for asthma

Read and learn more about breathing exercise for asthma. For more, visit the Asthma website MrAsthma.com

Q: what is the good cure for asthma?Must take a drugs or doing breathing exercise?
Some says sniffing ganja or drinking a beer can cure asthma?is that true?

A: The herbal remedy lobelia works great. one 50mg dose in the morning and one at night works great for me. Also get a nebulizer or breathing machine they cost about 80 bucks without insurance or free if you do have insurance try it out.

Q: Any suggested breathing techniques for asthma?
I have exercise induced asthma, but I get asthma sometimes just from sitting and not doing anything too. I don't want to always use my inhaler, so are there any breathing techniques or meditation type exercises that may control my asthma. Please help.

A: Most people are going to say "breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth". Those are people who have never had an attack and don't realize how silly that is. What I've found works for me is panting on top of my lungs, fast.Utilize what you have rather than fight to open up areas that will not expand. Obviously use your inhaler allowing at least a couple of minutes between puffs.That allows time for the first one to work a bit and the second gets much deeper. And don't over use it. I know the temptation is strong.
If you feel an attack coming on the best thing to do is not panic. Calm and serene. If you get anxious you'll just make things worse.I really do know how tough this is to do and it took me years to be able to do it but it and your inhaler are your best friends until EMS arrives.
God bless.

Q: why do I feel faint, dizzy, trouble breathing during exercise?
For the last year I've been going to the gym but recently hired a trainer. There were one or two instances in the beginning where I felt light headed, dizzy and broke out into a cold sweat that I knew meant I was going to faint (from past experience). A friend advised that I add some Gatorade to water to give me a sugar boost and that seemed to help. However, after recently hiring my trainer there have been three instances in the last month where I've felt the same dizzy, light headed, cold sweats and trouble breathing. After the 'episode' I feel extremely fatigued and worn out, as if I could just sleep. I assumed I had exercise induced asthma because of the trouble breathing and have tried three separate puffers but they don't seem to work. I noticed that the times I felt like I was going to pass out is when I do more 'whole body' exercise, such as weighted squats or dead lifts (oddly, things that involve my legs). The type of exercise I do is weight lifting, so nothing that really gets my heart rate up for long periods of time like running or step classes. I am going to my doctor for some solutions but sometimes it feels like he's not able to pinpoint the problem so I'm asking on here to see if anyone has had similar problems and what worked for them. Thanks.

A: It isn't so unusual and as your doctor can't find a cause you must be physically fit.
Are you pushing yourself too hard? If you start to feel faint or breathless you need to stop and give yourself time to recuperate..

If you exercise in the morning after maybe 10 hours since your last meal then you are low on many of the nutrients and energy required to get you through your workout. If your carbohydrate stores (glycogen) levels are low then you will use your muscles and fat for energy and this can be a strain on your system..

Drink water before, during and after exercise but don't overindulge.

Low blood pressure - fast movements from standing to lying can cause dizziness in people suffering from low blood pressure.

Blood pooling - after heavy leg exercises (squats, dead lifts) blood rushes to your legs in order to fuel your muscles. Ensure you take time to recover after these exercise and give the blood chance to recirculate. Don't sit down, moving around on your feet will help you return back to normal quicker.

Concentrate on your breathing and this will not only get you through your exercise session but can improve your lung capacity and control your heart rate too.

As your doctor and trainer have no solution you will have to try and find out by trial and error what causes your problems, but if you continue to feel breathless and faint you should ask your doctor for a second opinion..

Q: Good breathing techniques w/asthma?
I do track and have exercised induce asthma. Breathing isn't as easy for me as the other runners and I need to learn some good techniques. Anyone out there have the same issue?

A: just breath in through your nose out through your mouth

Hard to get down but it will help

Carry youf inhaler and tell the coach if you need to use it.

Cheyenne <3

Q: I have been having trouble breathing after exercise that lasts for sometimes the rest of the day. help please.
I dont know whats been going on. I'm a very good runner and whenever i run in weather I'm not used to i have trouble breathing for the rest of the day as soon as I'm done. I do have asthma through allergies. I am currently on trileptol and pulmicort. I'm 17 years old. Could someone help me please.

A: I have asthma too and obviously it's asthma that's inhibiting you. Maybe you have a chest infection? Whenever I have one, breathing becomes a lot harder all round. But try to use your drugs as little as possible, and eventually the asthma will get better.

Q: Do I have exercise-induced asthma?
Whenever I exercise hard, I get wheezy and I start coughing and my airways close up. Usually it only happens in cold weather but the past days have been 70 and sunny and it's happening. I just rode my bike pretty hard for 2 miles and now I can't breathe.

Is this exercise-induced asthma? Anything I can do so I can actually breathe?

A: Based off of your reported symptoms it sounds like it. Usually cold and exercise induced asthma is due to hyperactive airways. I suggest you set up an appointment with you primary care doctor for an examination. He may decided to treat you out of his clinic based on his clinical suspicion or may send you for referral to a pulmonologist (lung doctor) if he believes that a Lung Function test is in order. More than likely your primary care doctor will treat you with an inhaler and it will reduce your symptoms. Go schedule an appointment tomorrow. Don't worry, your condition is common and shared by many. Good luck!

---edit---

Ms Lamb may not "believe" in it, but it does exist. I know people who suffer from it and I've seen it. I found some further reading for you if are interested and I put it in the source section.

Q: Do you need help with your asthma questions? (Read this)?
I have suffered from asthma since I was 11. I am posting this as a way of helping so many of you who are suffering from asthma on here.

There's a great book called Reversing Asthma by a doctor who suffers from asthma himself. (name is Richard n Firshein)

Also a great website I've bought products from in the past www.allergyasthmatech.com.

I'm not trying to push products by the way. I've just found that asthma catalog and the book above very helpful to me personally.

These are things that can help you if you have not tried them already.

-Get rid of mold in your home. Keep damp areas like basements and bathrooms as dry as possible. Get a dehumidifier if needed.
-Get rid of pets if you can, or keep them out of the bedroom.
-Get rid of strong cleaning chemicals (especially bleach) use vinegar instead
-Get rid of mouse, rat, and bug poisons. Use natural bug killers if you can.
-Keep house (naturally) clean to keep roaches away. Their poop triggers attacks.
-Get rid of air deodorizers/air fresheners. They have been proven in scientific studies to trigger asthma and allergy symptoms.
-Wash your sheets and blankets in hot water once a week to kill dust mites which trigger attack
-Cover your pillows and mattresses in dust mite zip covers (you can vinyl ones cheap at Wal-mart)
-Get an air purifier for getting rid of mold and dust. Get one with a good HEPA filter. Do NOT get an ozone machine. Those trigger asthma, not help it. Do NOT get an ionizer type air purifier. Those produce ozone as a by product which can aggravate asthma.
-Get rid of new carpeting and replace with hard wood floors if you can afford it.
-Vacuum once a week and wear a dust mask when you clean or vacuum.
- Get tested for food allergies. Stop eating dairy, nuts (especially peanuts) and processed foods for at least a month to see if you improve. Try to eat organic and more vegetables and fruits. Eat lots of garlic which is a natural anti-inflammatory. (you can get supplements.)
-Check your work environment. Are you being exposed to chemicals or allergens or mold there? Is your job making things worse? If so, it might be time to change jobs or get a doctor's note for your boss.
- Get a second opinion if you feel your current doc is not helping you.
- Get a neti pot for sinus infections (they have worked wonders for me and you can get one cheap at Wal-greens) You poor salt or saline solution into warm water to irrigate your sinuses.
- Get tested for general allergies and get allergy shots if you can afford them. They can be very helpful for some asthmatics. (they've helped me)
- Some folks are sensitive to extremely dry air. If you must get a humidifier, get one that's easy to clean and replace the filters often since they can grow mold themselves
- Get good high filtration filters like Filtrete for your heating and cooling system in your house. Those alone, can make a difference. Remember to replace them regularly.
- Stop smoking, if you smoke. (I know it's hard but the reason I have asthma is because I was around my mom's second hand smoke growing up) Don't smoke around your kids if you can help it.
- Stop drinking. Alcohol is a nervous system depressant. A beer every once in awhile is probably fine but if you're a heavy drinker, it could be affecting your lungs.
- Learn breathing exercises. Take yoga classes which are great for asthma. Listen to relaxation tapes when you get home from work.
- Wean yourself off of prednizone if you can little by little and gradually get onto an inhaled steroid instead. They have less side effects and get directly into the lungs better. (I'm personally on Asmanex which is a brand new one) Oral steroids have long term side effects. Get off of them if you can and switch to an inhaled steroid.
- Exercise. I know exercise can irritate asthma for some, but build up slowly. Start with walking. It's one of the best ways to build up your breathing capacity over time.
- Get tested for acid reflux. Have heartburn, or tightness in your chest after you eat? Chronic acid reflux can result from overuse of oral steroids. They make the esophagus weak, and acid comes up more easily. This can eventually, irritate the lungs. Stay away from spicey foods or high acid foods like tomatoes. If you notice tightness in your chest after eating things like icecream or chocolate, those are acid reflux triggers. Stop certain foods for awhile and see if you improve. Stick to a bland diet for at least a month to see if there's a difference.
- Use your peak flow meter. If you don't have one, ask your doc for one. It measures your true breathing capacity if you're not sure how "tight" you are getting.
- Use a scarf in the winter to keep the air going into your lungs warm and moist. Extreme temperature changes can trigger symptoms.
- Close your car windows and use the air in the summer on especially hot days. Ozone triggers asthma.
- Are you an artist? Is your favorite hobby making you sic

A: You should have your genes tested, because I hate to break it to you, and I know it's easier to blame others, but you can't get asthma through smoking. Especially someone elses smoking. It's a genetic disorder. That means either you have bad genes, or someone passed a bad one along to you. That's how you got your asthma.
Like I said though, it's easier to blame it on smoking. Everything else is.

Q: Do I have exercise asthma or allergies?
Yesterday, I ran the mile inside on the track at my school. Everyday, I usually jog, but the past few times I've ran. Everytime I run, I start sneezing afterward. Yesterday, I was sneezing, had chest tightness and some weird breathing at times. I was ok afterward, but the chest tightness continued for a long time, and this morning, I still have sneezing.
I exercise regularly at home, and I am fine. I am a 17 year old female with no past asthma or anything.

A: Sounds like allergies! They can trigger the tightness in your chest, but so can cold weather in asthma. Sneezing is typically caused by allergies. Try taking Claritin the night before you run and see if that helps!

Q: How is exercise induced asthma different to regular asthma?
My asthma only kicks in whenever I begin to run or jog, and it always last for the first 15 minutes making breathing difficult. But I refuse to use an inhaler and I push through and keep running even though the air going in to my lungs is tiny. After a while my chest loosens up and my breathing returns to normal. So how is my asthma different to regular asthma?

A: I have exercise induced asthma and at times I can deal with it without my inhaler but I find it's easier just to take the inhaler if it's not cleared out so I can breathe properly, hence a better run. I also have asthma of other triggers (dust, pets etc)

They're the same thing, sometimes you can work it thru on your own but I just don't see the point to '*suffer* if I don't have to. I'll do it for a few mins etc but if it's not improving (and sometimes it can) I inhale-I don't care how it looks. It's not fun not being able to breathe!

Q: What are the instructions for the "Papworth method" breathing exercises?
There is a news story today about how this method helps asthma, but I can find any information about how to use the method online.

A: This is a physical therapy method that needs to be taught by someone who is trained in the method. It is a series of deep breathing, relaxation, and recognition of inciting factors. You can call around to local physical therapy groups in your area to find someone who is trained and willing to teach it. It's worth doing for many aspects of health as well.

Q: Any tips for a beginning runner?
So everyone in my family loves running and i always try to go with them but i can never keep up. I have exercise induced asthma, and im not very in shape at all, in fact im horribly out of shape. I know that the best, and really the only, thing to do is to practice and just work really hard at it. But what I was wondering is if anyone has any breathing exercises or pre and post run stretches they could let me know about?

A: use your legs

Q: Is this allergies of exercise induced asthma?
Yesterday, I ran the mile inside on the track at my school. Everyday, I usually jog, but the past few times I've ran. Everytime I run, I start sneezing afterward. Yesterday, I was sneezing, had chest tightness and some weird breathing at times. I was ok afterward, but the chest tightness continued for a long time, and this morning, I still have sneezing.
I exercise regularly at home, and I am fine. I am a 17 year old female with no past asthma or anything.

A: Could be something in the environment you're running in when you're outside that you're allergic to. Add running to your allergies and you could be experiencing asthma symptoms. Pay attention to the time of day, what is around you, what the weather's like and when it happens. Keep a log and bring it to your doctor. They can do allergy and asthma testing to see what's up and then give you the appropriate meds.

Q: Exercise induced asthma question...?
I have asthma and exercise in unfortunately a trigger. I am also a long distance runner, so this poses problems for me at present. I am currently taking seretide twice daily and I use the blue inhaler before exercise and my breathing is fine. I am finding that whilst running my chest feels slightly tight but I can run through this and it doesn't get worse and by the end feels ok (althoug my peak flow is lower, I have no wheeze and it goes back to normal after about 30 minutes).

However, I am finding I have a tickly cough for days after a run. I run often (3 or 4 times a week at the momen), so this cough never really clears.. is this to do with my asthma? Does anyone else experience? Am I ok to continue like this? Or is it a sign it's not totally controlled?

An explanation from a respiratory specialist would be gratefully received.

Many thanks!
Also.. another thing that I notice and don't know whether this is normal in asthma... but sometimes I get a strange noise lower in my lungs everytime I breathe.. like a squeak. Sometimes it's loud enough for people to hear and I have to tell them it's my tummy rumbling. But I can feel and hear that is is from my lungs. Is this normal?

A: Have you been introduced to the drug xopenex (levalbuterol)? It also comes in inhaler form as well as inhalation solution 1.25mg. This drug works well for active lifestyles. You may need an anti-inflammitory (corticosteroid) to clear up the lower sounds (lung function). It seems to me that you may have never resolved your initial inflammation. Some asthmas are not resolved by albuterol alone. Please check further with a pulmonologist.

Q: Any tips on exercise induced asthma?
I just recently have developed exercise induced asthma due to the cold air outside when I've been running. I have trouble breathing and I cough up phlegm. I have an inhaler, but it only helps a little bit. I want to run track this spring but am having trouble building up distance because of this. Treadmills DO NOT work for me. Any tips on what would have caused this or what I should do about it to make it better??

A: Consume Plenty of:

* Chicken soup, broth and other fluids to help thin bronchial mucus.
* Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids to counter bronchial inflammation. (Canola oil, salmon, mackerel, sardines and other cold-water fish)
* Tea (only if not sensitive to salicylates) is a source of theophylline, a bronchial muscle relaxant. (If taking a theophylline drug, avoid large amounts of tea to prevent overdose).

Avoid:

* Any foods, including dairy products, or additives that seem to bring on attacks.
* If allergic to mildew and other environmental molds, molds in food may trigger asthma. Foods include mushrooms, cheese, yeasty breads, hot dogs and other processed meats, and anything that is fermented, including soy sauce, beer, wine and vinegar.
* Salicylates (an ingredient in aspirin) and a natural component in a number of fruits may trigger asthma.
* Foods containing yellow food dye 5 (tartrazine) is similar to salicylate, but less potent.
* Any food preserved with sulfites. Prevalent and potentially deadly, sulfites are especially common in dried fruits, dehydrated or instant soup mixes, instant potatoes, dough conditioners, wine, beer and carbonated drinks made with sulfur dioxide. Check food labels for any ingredient ending in sulfite; for example, potassium bisulfite, as well as sulfur dioxide.

Q: How do I avoid an asthma attack after exercise?
I am 20 years old and have never had asthma. The last few times after my soccer games I have been coughing a lot, but today I had an actual asthma attack where I couldnt breathe, I had a lot of pressure on my chest, and I couldnt stop coughing. My brother has really bad asthma so I used his inhaler and I sat in the bathroom with steam from the shower and it went away. Is there a way for me to avoid having asthma after exercise? I normally never have asthma.

A: You need to see your GP who might refer you to a specialist and have an asthma treatment plan done immediately. They'll do a series of lung tests and then probably put you on a preventer. After being on that for a couple of days you should be fine to exercise but if you still feel out of breath try taking a few sprays from an inhaler before you work out and after if you need it.

Hope this helps :)