Is it possible to have a wheeze but not have asthma?

[Blueforest23]

I don’t have an official diagnosis of asthma but 3 times when I have been running strangers have told me that I have been wheezing. The most prominent example was 4 years ago I was running a 3 mile race and a girl who I didn’t know was overtaking me and as she went past said ‘are you ok, do you have asthma, you are wheezing’. I was too out of breath to answer her properly lol but later in the race I heard her telling another girl that she ran past me and that she thought ‘omg she was wheezing really bad’. I didn’t feel like my breathing was out of proportion to my exertion but I must have sounded bad.

I do remember about 5 years ago several minutes after running in the track I suddenly felt very dizzy, sick and anxious then my windpipe seemed to tighten as though I was breathing through a straw. It all disappeared after about 2 minutes but was very scary.

I have not had any further episodes of the above since but I do wonder why others say that I wheeze. I do have rhinitis with polyps and my inspiration always sounds a bit wheezy/squeaky. I am not sure if this is what people are hearing, as I can hear that myself.

I have been to my gp as with having polyps I thought I’d better get checked for asthma. I had a brown inhaler trial (no change to peak flow). I also measure peak flow regularly and after exercise sometimes I haven’t noticed a change. My best has always only been 310 anyway. I had a spirometry test the consultant that was normal.

[-Butterfly-]

A wheeze is caused by a change to the way air flows through your respiratory system. The mechanics can be different. When running there is an increase in blood flow, perhaps this affects the size of your polyps and therefore affects the airflow past them and causes the wheeze. Monitoring your peak flow is good, the fact you're not seeing a change before vs after exercise suggests that exercise isn't causing any narrowing within your lungs.

However, a normal spirometry test isn't always indicative of no asthma.

[TheWelshWriter]

Hello.The episode you mentioned where you struggled to breath (like through a straw) reminds me of my first asthma attack. I was running as well and stopped at the top of a hill. I couldn't catch my breath and then things went downhill as my airways closed. Luckily I had my blue inhaler which saved me!

It would be interesting to know if you have taken a blue inhaler whilst wheezing and whether that had any effect? The blue one opens the airways, stopping the wheezing.

I think there are a few disorders of the neck area that can cause asthma like symptoms but I am no expert. There is one that is related to the voice box for example.

I wonder about your breathing technique when you run? I think mine isn't great and I breath loud, although I don't wheeze. Do you 'belly breathe'? That's the best way for efficiency during running.

Is it only exercise that causes this?

I have a feeling your diagnosis will be complex due to your polyps and allergies.

I hope you get it sorted.

[risabel59]

The Answer is yes. Although of course you can have Asthma and wheeze. Another common cause of wheezing in running is EILO, Exercise induced Laryangeal obstruction. Tons of articles online about it. Also there are other causes of wheeze when exercising but not so well publicised.

R x