1 in 3 College Athletes Have Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm (Asthma)

Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reported that one out of three college athletes have symptoms of exercise-induced bronchospasm (sometimes referred to as exercise-induced asthma or EIA) even though they may have no prior history of asthma. The symptoms of exercise-induced asthma are so varied and misunderstood that many athletes didn't realize they even had a medial condition.

Exercise-induced asthma is a form of asthma that is triggered by physical exertion. Symptoms are the same as asthma and include wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and chest pain. But symptoms alone aren't enough to diagnose EIA. Objective lung function testing is the best way to diagnose asthma. If treated based upon reported symptoms only, the researchers warn that the number of inaccurate diagnoses may increase and athletes could take unnecessary medications."

In the study, researchers randomly tested 107 athletes for exercise-induced asthma. Of those tested 39 percent (42) were positive for EIA and most of them reported no prior history of asthma. The researchers recommend routine asthma diagnosis and management among college-level athletes to accurately diagnose those who may need treatment.

Learn more:
You Can Play Sports With Asthma - How to Control Exercise-Induced Asthma (EIA)
Exercise Induced Asthma: Facts About EIA
Winning With Exercise-Induced Asthma