Dyspnea in Patients

Is It Really Asthma?

Matheny, Michael MS, ATC
Getzin, Andrew MD
Pitti, Mary MS, CCC-SLP

From Exercise and Sport Sciences, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York.

The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.

Correspondence: Michael Matheny, MS, ATC, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Ithaca College, 953 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850. E-mail: [email protected]

Received February 15, 2016

Accepted May 27, 2016

Athletic Training & Sports Health Care 8(6):p 262-265, November 01, 2016. | DOI: 10.3928/19425864-20160620-03

It is important for the sports health care team to be able to differentiate between asthma and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction in athletes reporting dyspnea during exercise. Many patients are empirically diagnosed as having asthma and unsuccessfully treated with asthma medications, resulting in frustration and suboptimal performance. History and flexible fiber laryngoscopy during intense exercise are the most important means of obtaining an accurate diagnosis. On diagnosis of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction, the patient should be referred to a speech-language pathologist for treatment. When accurately diagnosed and treated, chances of a successful outcome are high. [Athletic Training & Sports Health Care. 2016;8(6):262–265.]