- EXERCISE CHALLENGE: This is a test to determine how physical exertion might affect the way you breath.
Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a common disease and exercise is a common trigger for patients who have asthma. Exercise-induced asthma occurs as a result of drying or cooling of the airways during exercise. Lung function testing is performed sequentially both before and after a prescribed exercise protocol which is completed on a treadmill. For the majority of asthmatics, exercise can induce some airway constriction and this test will identify changes in lung function that will rule out or confirm EIA. Additionally, if a patient has a firm diagnosis of EIA, this test may also be used to assess the effectiveness of one’s pretreatment medications in preventing their symptoms. Our test is about 2 hours long and is performed in our office.