Many of us look for almost any reason to avoid exercise. But if you have asthma, your excuse is better than most.

Exercise can trigger tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing and other difficulties associated with asthma. When this occurs, it is known as exercise-induced asthma.

So, do you need to avoid exercise completely if you have asthma? Absolutely not. Exercise is an essential tool in keeping your asthma under control. It helps build lung power and strengthens breathing muscles in the chest.

Exercise is too important to your overall physical and mental well-being to let asthma stand in the way.

Developing an Exercise Plan

If exercise causes your asthma symptoms, you should address the problem. See your doctor. Two types of medications are available to help keep your airways open, making it easier to breathe during exercise. They are classified as either short-acting or long-acting drugs.

Your doctor may recommend that you keep a short-acting asthma medication with you whenever you exercise. Sometimes known as "rescue" medications, these drugs are designed to open your airways quickly when they suddenly constrict.

In some cases, short-acting medications also may be used as a preventive measure. For example, your doctor may direct you to use a short-acting inhaler to open your airways prior to a morning run. The dosage can be adjusted for better results if the medications initially fail to prevent symptoms.