How does cold air affect lungs.

[GIOS]

When riding at higher altitudes (not living in UK, obviously ) my breathing accelerates and my throat starts to feel terrible. This only occurs in springtime when the temperature is below zero so thin air is probably ruled out. The cough goes on for weeks and ruins my pre-season. So is there anything I could do to avoid these nasty effects and why do they occur.

 

[stumpy66]

Read up on exercise induced asthma, wear a buff, a couple puffs of a salbutamol inhaler helps me

 

[GIOS]

Read up on exercise induced asthma, wear a buff, a couple puffs of a salbutamol inhaler helps me

I could give the buff a go. But what comes to salbutamol (Ventolin?) isn't it considered as a doping substance?

 

[GIOS]

'Do you like climbing?' Yes, No, Legs.

Is this a trick question?

 

[stumpy66]

I could give the buff a go. But what comes to salbutamol (Ventolin?) isn't it considered as a doping substance?

Not sure, but it works for me

 

[GIOS]

Not sure, but it works for me

That's what Armstrong must have thought.

 

[stumpy66]

He was out to cheat and deceive everyone, im just out to enjoy the ride. try the buff it'll help

 

[Rob3rt]

Are you racing at a level where you are adequately concerned about a legitimately prescribed medical substance being on a banned substance list? Who gives a hoot is if it a banned substance, if you have asthma, take the inhaler. Further, you can apply for a therapeutic use exemption to rules on such things if you are racing at a level where it is a real concern.

 

[LarryDuff]

Cold air constricts the bronchioles.

 

[GIOS]

Are you racing at a level where you are adequately concerned about a legitimately prescribed medical substance being on a banned substance list? Who gives a hoot is if it a banned substance, if you have asthma, take the inhaler. Further, you can apply for a therapeutic use exemption to rules on such things if you are racing at a level where it is a real concern.

No, nothing like that. Just curious

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I'm a moderately severe asthmatic and just get on with it. (think 8 sets of med daily + diet to control the asthma). I suffer from exercise induced asthma, allergy induced asthma & cough variant asthma. the later 2 are the worst by a long shot. I find that cold air does not affect me now anywhere near as much as it used to. I sleep with the bedroom window open permanately. It has not been closed since we moved into thos house in July last year. We were previously cycled around the world and did not avoid cold climates - prior to that we had lived for 12 years in the same house and the only time the bedroom windows got closed was when we were away from home for more than a couple of days. We also don't have the heating on in the bedroom. the result has been that I have far less issues with my asthma when out in the cold than I used to have. I tend now only to have issues when it is below -10C or thereabouts and my inhalers do help to an extent. but lungs are like the rest of the body - they need time to warm up and this needs to be done gently when they are complaining of cold air. A buff helps but for me what helps more is keeping my neck warm, not covering my mouth - though in very cold conditions I will cover my mouth and try to force myself to breath through my nose. easy said than done when cycling uphill in mountains in very cold conditions with asthma but it does work and works better with my winter mountaineering that my winter cycling!
I dont' really know the effect of it at altitude yet - a certain member of the canine population put pay to that last year, but know I can handle -20C with my asthma without too many issues, if I am careful in the mornings and that for me has always been the key issue. Mornings are harder on my asthma, hence the taking it easy and making sure the lungs have warmed up before I try killing myself again!

 

[Garz]

Are you racing at a level where you are adequately concerned about a legitimately prescribed medical substance being on a banned substance list? Who gives a hoot is if it a banned substance, if you have asthma, take the inhaler.

Inhalers aren't banned - at least to my knowledge anyway. The last screening I went to, the doctor was laying it thick about using it more often.

 

[Garz]

I suffer from exercise induced asthma, allergy induced asthma & cough variant asthma. the later 2 are the worst by a long shot. I find that cold air does not affect me now anywhere near as much as it used to. I sleep with the bedroom window open permanately.

The cold does not seem to affect me either. If I ever need to use my inhaler it's in the summer months due to high pollen count and generally at night time as it irritates me (can hear breathing).

 

[david k]

the cold affects me, always has, sometimes its worse than other times. When i played rugby it would happen, throat would be really sore at times, tried inhalers but didnt help, a warm drink sometimes does, often ill take a warm juice on a ride with me

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Cool damp air can be benificial...... think 'Intercooler' on a turbo-diesel.

Cool air is denser than hot/warm air = more oxygen