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Breathe Better: Understanding Asthma
By Stephen C. Gangemi, D.C From Running Journal June 2001 Asthma, including exercise induced asthma (EIA), is the diagnosis given to more and more people everyday, with athletes making up a large number of people added to this prevalent group. This condition is defined as a spasm or constriction of the bronchials causing diminished airflow resulting in wheezing, tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, and sometimes coughing. When the vital capacity, or the total volume of air that can be forcibly exhaled in one breath, does not change or decreases with exercise, the person most likely has EIA. The vital capacity should normally increase with exercise. Almost all people with asthma will have EIA, but those with EIA do not have a problem with breathing unless exercising. Athletes of all ages are given the diagnosis of EIA as they suddenly develop these breathing difficulties that appear out of nowhere, ("Just started one day while I was running." or "I never had this problem before.") These symptoms are thought to have no specific origin. There are over ninety different easily prescribed anti-asthma medications on the market today, and EIA is commonly diagnosed and treated with prescription drugs with no attempt to understand the underlying processes which cause the problem. This article will shine some light on the matter. There are currently six different categories of anti-asthma medications. Which individual drugs will work for a given patient depends on what is causing the asthma symptoms. The medication isn't going to cure the asthma, it will simply help the person manage it better. One of the clues used to help an individual truly overcome the cause of their asthma is to see what medication benefits them most. If they are not on a medication yet, then it's important to fully investigate the origin of the asthma, so it may be dealt with at the source. Although asthma is a symptom of the lungs, there is most always not a primary lung problem to be dealt with, but a problem from another area of the body affecting the function of the lungs. Likewise, the medications used to combat asthma have been developed to treat the areas of the body that are thought to cause the constriction-spasm symptoms of the bronchials. So what is causing the asthma and how do you go about fixing it, or at least dealing with it to the best of your ability? The answer depends on what is triggering your asthma. What is causing your asthma can be completely different from what is causing your friend's asthma, even though your symptoms appear to be identical. The majority of asthma medications developed are made to enhance adrenal gland function. The usual mediations in this category are albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) and Epinephrine (an adrenal gland derived hormone), though there are many more. When the adrenal glands are under a lot of stress, whether from training too hard or too often, emotional stress, nutritional stress (too much sugar, caffeine, alcohol, poor diet), or a combination of these, then the adrenal glands slowly become depleted over time. The adrenal glands are responsible for many important functions in your body. They help with your electrolyte balance; they help manage hormone levels; they determine how you manage your glucose and energy levels; they influence how you repair your joints and fight inflammation; they affect your mood and even your sleep. These are all things my articles have addressed in the past. The big idea here is that if one important organ isn't working as well as it should, you can have many symptoms going on. You can drive yourself crazy going from one doctor to the next trying to understand and fix each problem separately, but many times they are all closely related. That is why I have talked about an athlete not sleeping well, not being able to get over an injury, and having a problem managing electrolyte imbalances while training or racing, all as a result of one process not working as well as it should. Asthma can easily enter the picture here. This explains why suddenly having asthma symptoms one day while heading out for a run is really an end process of a longer period of depleting your reserves. The stress has caught up with you and to deal with it effectively and get over it, you need to understand why it is there and where it is coming from. Read the complete article in Running Journal Dr. Gangemi has a private practice in Durham, NC. He works extensively with athletes and all individuals to treat and prevent injuries and optimize their health and performance through holistic means. Dr. Gangemi is a 5-time Hawaii Ironman qualifier and finisher. He can be reached at 919-419-9099 or through e-mail at DrGangemi@Mindspring.com.
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