Asthma that is triggered by the cold weather is known as cold-induced asthma. Breathing becomes more difficult when cold, dry air is inhaled because it can constrict the airways.

For those who have asthma, there are a number of therapies and preventative steps that can lessen the effects of cold air.

This article explains how to identify when asthma symptoms are being triggered as well as why cold weather can exacerbate asthma symptoms.

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Breathing becomes easier because the air is usually warmed and made more humid by the mouth and nose before it reaches the lungs.

The body finds it more difficult to warm up in extremely dry, cold air, like that of winter.

The lungs constrict in response to the cold air entering their airways. Breathing in cold air can cause dryness in the airways because it contains less moisture. This may result in an asthma attack that includes coughing due to airway spasms.

Frequently, someone discovers that their symptoms get worse when they engage in outdoor activities like skiing, snowplowing, or running.

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Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose is more common during exercise. Exercise increases the likelihood that a person will inhale colder air because the mouth does not warm air as effectively as the nose does.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of cold-induced asthma may include:

breathing difficulties tightness in the chest, coughing, wheezing, and chest pain

These symptoms usually appear soon after being exposed to outdoor cold air. Usually, they disappear when the person gets to a warmer place.

Avoidance

There are things one can do to keep asthma attacks from getting worse in the winter.

In addition to taking medicine, the following techniques can be beneficial:

Spending five to ten minutes warming up before venturing outside. Dancing is one type of aerobic exercise that could be involved.

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ten to fifteen minutes before venturing outside, use a short-acting inhaler. This can lessen the chance that breathing in cold air will narrow your airways.

Also read: Cholestasis of pregnancy: Symptoms and Causes

putting on a mouth guard when venturing outside. For example, covering one’s mouth with a scarf can warm the air as it enters the lungs.

focusing on using the nose to breathe whenever feasible. In addition, this aids in warming the air before it enters the lungs.