Hi everyone, its been quite a while since going on here as so far i seem to be coping o.k with asthma, just over the last few weeks it soo weird as i have had this cough that seems to be triggered by amongst other things laughing!! should i be miserable or is there any advice you can give me? I do have salbutamol inhaler and Beclometasone dipropionate.
Thanks
Ade
My asthma is triggered my laughing, now when i want to laugh i clap my hands and smile as it stops me choking or having an asthma attack. It is something to do with how the air rushes out of your airways in a hurry causing a sudden dryness. (my physio friend said)
It is also spore season it could be that has set something off in the background and therefore your lungs might be a bit more twitchy.
Bex
I take the same medication as you do and have found for a while (most of the time I have had asthma) that my emotions, mainly anger and upset set off my asthma. I do find that I can't laugh very much otherwise I find myself very dizzy and short of breath. Very annoying but I know I'm not alone now.. thanks Ade 
HI Ade,
Nice to know you can laugh as it does help keep you smiling,
I am always laughing woody would tell you that and can make
my lungs a little grumpy at times.
I would check with your GP to see what you could do to help when having
a good old laugh !
love Glynis xxx
laughing and coughing increases rate of breathing
Ade
Laughing increases your rate of breathing thus triggering asthma episodes. So too does stress/ emotions/ anger. If you concentrate on keeping the rate and volume of breathing down at these times then you can radically alter the direct effects. There are very mild exercises that are suitable for most asthmatics at these times that teach you to control your breathing naturally. The method (part of buteyko) should be learned from an instructor rather than DIY and also with your doctors say-so. Another example is that asthmatics who cough realise that talking is a major trigger (like laughing it too increases rate of breathing). I havent given up talking but am aware of my breathing if talking for a long time. And i now breathe through my nose, in and out at all times (other than rare scuba/snorkeling outings) even when talking coughing sneezing exercising which can be hard to keep up at times but it helps so much it is worth it to me. This is a total change in habit for me after lifelong mouth breathing and asthma.
I learned buteyko about 6 years ago under medical support and from an instructor.
The theory goes that hidden or not so hidden hyperventilation is a major contributor to asthma. It seemed counter-intuitive or upsidedown logic to suggest that exactly when i feel like i need to breathe more (short of breath) i am actually breathing too much already (i mean at rest, not under extreme exercise) and should slow my breathing down rather than try and breathe even more. BUt it works.
Coughing and laughing are known triggers (and its a side effect of the too-high volume of breathing that causes the dryness as well as increasing the need to cough due to increased irritation with higher volumes). Needless to say, i still laugh but i watch my breathing and when i notice the increased for no good reason breathing i slow it down deliberately and it helps alot.
Good luck with it!
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