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Is it safe to use Asthalin while exercising?

Dr Lawrence Youlten
Consultant,
Department of Allergy,
Addenbrookes, Cambridge

Q: I am a 28 years old male suffering from exercise induced asthma. While running in the gym or doing other vigourous activities, I experience difficulty in breathing. I always start sneezing whenever exposed to dust, smoke or pollution and sometimes to the deodorants / perfumes. Sneezing is difficult to control and soon after I suffer from running nose and breathing problem. The doctor has prescribed me an inhaler - Asthalin (salbutamol). Initially I used it more frequently but for the last couple of years, I rarely need to use the inhaler. I probably had six puffs last year and that too during the climate change. I do not take help of Asthalin for exercising. Is it safe to use Asthalin while exercising? During a routine health checkup, the doctor easily noticed the congestion of airway in my chest X-ray.

A:Use of a salbutamol inhaler before exercise to prevent exercise-induced asthma is a safe and accepted way of dealing with this problem. Use of a regular preventer steroid inhaler such as fluticasone or beclomethasone is another approach, and you could also use these drugs as nasal sprays to reduce your sneezing etc. This may have a beneficial effect on the asthma too.