Asthma in healthy lungs?

Squidgeypaws007
Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
edited December 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all, I was hoping someone could help cure my ignorance on this issue:

Can you get asthma in healthy lungs? And is there a way to "cure" asthma if it can be present in health lungs?

I suspect it's a misconception of mine that asthma is only present in unhealthy lungs, and I've no idea where I picked it up but more info would be great :)

Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I would say if you have asthma, you don't have healthy lungs. Asthma is a condition on its own and not necessarily the result of something else. You should probably talk to your doctor.
  • Sugarhoneyicedtea
    Sugarhoneyicedtea Posts: 76
    Asthma isn't something you can pick up. I was born with it. You can make it better with exercising and stuff, and there are some inhaled steroids you can take.
  • Sugarhoneyicedtea
    Sugarhoneyicedtea Posts: 76
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma Maybe this will help. Or this http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Hmmmm, I have always had asthma and I "felt" like it had been getting better. But recently we're back to the wheezing ./sigh

    That's what I thought Rm - poo.

    And it'd be a hell of a virus if you could pick it up Pall....eugh!
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma Maybe this will help. Or this http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm

    Thanks for the links :) I don't need to know what Asthma is though, just whether your lungs can be healthy if you have it. I mean, is it by default you have unhealthy lungs if you have asthma as Rml said and I originally thought? I suppose it depends on the type. Humm.
  • Sugarhoneyicedtea
    Sugarhoneyicedtea Posts: 76
    I gotchya, I thought maybe you meant only smokers or whatever got it. Sorry!
  • Sugarhoneyicedtea
    Sugarhoneyicedtea Posts: 76
    I did read that people who train a lot have more instances of it? Are you exercising more/harder? Seems like exercise helps it if it's moderate, and something like leisurely walking (which is what my doctor suggested).
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I had terrible asthma as a kid, but the place I grew up had terrible air quality (lots of pollution and allergens). When I moved away, it completely disappeared.

    As for being otherwise healthy in the lungs, yes, you can have healthy lungs and have asthma. Asthma is more of an issue with the bronchial tubes than the actual lung organs themselves.
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
    Asthma can be related to allergies so it doesn't necessarily mean you have anything wrong with your lungs. It's a reaction to an allergen. Childhood asthma is sometimes outgrown. Both myself and my youngest daughter had childhood asthma and outgrew it, however we still have the allergies. (for me it's pet dander, for my daughter it's seasonal). Neither of us have any breathing problems now and the reactions we have are primarily runny itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing). For me, my reaction to cats is pretty extreme and I can't be around them for more than a few minutes of my eyes burn really bad.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I did read that people who train a lot have more instances of it? Are you exercising more/harder? Seems like exercise helps it if it's moderate, and something like leisurely walking (which is what my doctor suggested).

    There is a condition called exercise-induced asthma. People who have that only have symptoms when they work out too hard.
  • mulcahya
    mulcahya Posts: 82 Member
    As I'm sure you are aware, asthma is an obstructive lung problem. When you have an asthma attack, it's hard to breathe because the airways become obstructed as the bronchi dilate (tubes get smaller). When this isn't occurring, the lungs can be fine!

    As you probably also know, there are varying degrees of severity of asthma. There are also many triggers for asthma - exercise is a very common trigger, particularly for mild asthma. Although exercise is very good for asthmatics, it can trigger mild symptoms (wheeze, breathlessness), and often people with asthma need to take a few puffs on a puffer (Ventolin for example) before exercising to make sure they don't get these symptoms. This is generally all that is required for people with mild or exercise-induced asthma.

    However if these symptoms are new and haven't occurred before - your best bet is talking to your doctor about it. You can give them your whole story and if they think you might benefit from a puffer they would be able to prescribe you one!

    Hope that helps :)
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I did read that people who train a lot have more instances of it? Are you exercising more/harder? Seems like exercise helps it if it's moderate, and something like leisurely walking (which is what my doctor suggested).

    There is a condition called exercise-induced asthma. People who have that only have symptoms when they work out too hard.

    Ah, no - oddly enough I'm getting less instances of it when I'm actually exercising and more after I've stopped 0_o it used to be both though, but it has improved hugely whilst I'm working out now!
    As I'm sure you are aware, asthma is an obstructive lung problem. When you have an asthma attack, it's hard to breathe because the airways become obstructed as the bronchi dilate (tubes get smaller). When this isn't occurring, the lungs can be fine!
    Asthma can be related to allergies so it doesn't necessarily mean you have anything wrong with your lungs
    As for being otherwise healthy in the lungs, yes, you can have healthy lungs and have asthma.



    Together those posts have answered the question! This has been going on since my sister-in-law moved in with her dogs.....I wonder. I had a panicky moment and thought I was going backwards with my "fitness", as usual did not engage brain and think! Thank you guys :flowerforyou:

    Thanks everyone who has answered my question :heart:
  • MandaGene235
    MandaGene235 Posts: 3 Member
    I was born a month early and have always had a bit of trouble with my lungs. I was put on Advair about ten years ago and now I very rarely have an asthma attack. My major trigger is cold air, so winter is a bit harder, but mostly I am symptom free.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    oddly enough I'm getting less instances of it when I'm actually exercising and more after I've stopped 0_o it used to be both though, but it has improved hugely whilst I'm working out now!

    EIA can often have symptoms about 10min after you exercise. Not necessarily during exercise.
    Asthma can be related to allergies so it doesn't necessarily mean you have anything wrong with your lungs
    This has been going on since my sister-in-law moved in with her dogs.....I wonder.

    Asthma has many triggers, it can be different for different people, perhaps your trigger is an allergen: dog fur...?
    I used to be triggered by viruses, now it only tends to be exercise. If you keep having trouble, see a doctor or pharmacist. :smile:
  • BenderFitness
    BenderFitness Posts: 349
    I have exercise induced asthma in certain conditions (poor air quality, high humidity, high allergen content in the air, etc), but I have healthy lungs. My doctor prescribed me an inhaler to use on an as needed basis. If you don't have asthma an inhaler doesn't do anything for you, if you do it increases the percentage of oxygen being delivered from your lungs into your blood stream.

    Typical signs include prolonged coughing after exercise, congestion in the lungs during or after exercise, etc.

    I ran/worked out with exercise induced asthma for years. I could never figure out why my breathing would get heavy so quickly even with light effort on certain days. After I did a 5K on a super hot and humid August day last year and came into the finish line with blue lips my mom freaked out and convinced me to get checked at my doctor. I'm glad I did because you can cause damage to your lungs if you don't treat it.
  • nursenessa1
    nursenessa1 Posts: 182 Member
    Yes healthy lungs can get a touch of asthma "wheezing etc" Your lil aveoli or bronchials can get twitchy, inflamed by irritants such as excersise, smoke, weather pollen etc.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    I have exercise induced asthma in certain conditions (poor air quality, high humidity, high allergen content in the air, etc), but I have healthy lungs. My doctor prescribed me an inhaler to use on an as needed basis. If you don't have asthma an inhaler doesn't do anything for you, if you do it increases the percentage of oxygen being delivered from your lungs into your blood stream.

    Typical signs include prolonged coughing after exercise, congestion in the lungs during or after exercise, etc.

    I ran/worked out with exercise induced asthma for years. I could never figure out why my breathing would get heavy so quickly even with light effort on certain days. After I did a 5K on a super hot and humid August day last year and came into the finish line with blue lips my mom freaked out and convinced me to get checked at my doctor. I'm glad I did because you can cause damage to your lungs if you don't treat it.

    ___________________________

    I co-sign this response. This is far more common than you'd imagine.
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    I have not had asthma since I was a child. I had my first attack years ago and did not think a whole lot about it as it was directly after a bad wind storm. Years later I had another bout that last a few weeks, went away and didn't think much about it. The last time it flared up it lasted quite a while and was combined with serious coughing and pain. I went in and was told I had asthma due to allergies with a lung infection.

    Since then I continue to have flare ups but I have found many of the allergies that cause it.
  • melann1974
    melann1974 Posts: 84
    I have asthma and my lungs are healthy. My asthma is triggered by allergies, exercise, humidity, cold air and a whole lot of things. I was diagnosed when I was 8 years old. Asthma has nothing to do with the lungs but the inflammation of the bronchial tubes.

    Can it get better? It depends on the person and the severity of their asthma. I am allergic to a lot of stuff and cannot avoid all my allergy triggers, however my asthma is more controlled when I take allergy medicine. It also was doing a lot better when I was taking preventive asthma medicine (however due to side effects, I can no longer take those).
  • amyram
    amyram Posts: 108 Member
    Sadly I never had any asthma when I was young, I developed exercise induced asthma at 42 at the same time developed lactose intolerance. I guess your hormones are always changing and you can get better or worse just as easy, but I've recently ran my first 5k without any walking, so it can be controlled.
  • Monny287
    Monny287 Posts: 109
    My lungs are healthy as far as I know and I have asthma. Mine's triggered by exercise and cold, and is a hundred times worse if I encounter both at the same time. I have it pretty under control, but I live in place where it gets below zero in the winter. Then I have to make sure I don't rush to get somewhere. Since I have good control over it and I can control what triggers it (for the most part), I don't carry an inhaler or even have one. Mine also isn't so severe that I can't relax myself and talk myself into breathing regularly. I know others who are not so lucky.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    I have asthma and my lungs are healthy. My asthma is triggered by allergies, exercise, humidity, cold air and a whole lot of things. I was diagnosed when I was 8 years old. Asthma has nothing to do with the lungs but the inflammation of the bronchial tubes.

    Can it get better? It depends on the person and the severity of their asthma. I am allergic to a lot of stuff and cannot avoid all my allergy triggers, however my asthma is more controlled when I take allergy medicine. It also was doing a lot better when I was taking preventive asthma medicine (however due to side effects, I can no longer take those).

    I'll echo a lot of this. Humidity is a MAJOR trigger for me, as are seasonal allergies. I take Zyrtec year-round and that helps, but May is still hell for me (which sucks, as there is a major 25k race next to me that I'd like to run, but after 3 years of running it while sick I won't bother, anymore), as are humid periods. Today was rough, as our humidity was high.

    Inhaled steroids are a big help for me. I take Qvar. I'd been on Advair for a while, but I had EVERY damned side-effect, including immune system suppression, which made me hyper-prone to colds, which made me extra asthmatic. I also had thrush constantly. I now use Qvar with a spacer and don't have any side-effects.
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