my troublesome trachea
October 3, 2005 7:05 PM   Subscribe

I have this odd problem which occurs when I run.

Sometimes when I go running, especially when I haven't done it in a while or if I start off running without too much warming up (which I know isn't a great idea), I get this constrictive feeling in my throat, right at and below the level of the adam's apple. It's really sharp and painful, and it tends to make it hard to keep running. Any help is extremely appreciated; I'd really like to get into running, and I think this is my main stumbling block.
posted by clockzero to Health & Fitness (11 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Does it happen more often when it's cold, rather than hot, outside?
posted by Frank Grimes at 7:15 PM on October 3, 2005


For all you know it could be referred pain from your heart. It's time to go to the doctor.
posted by abcde at 8:13 PM on October 3, 2005


Not to scare you, it's probably, nothing bad, but this is an example of something my medically illiterate self considers definitely worthy of a visit.
posted by abcde at 8:15 PM on October 3, 2005


...And my nurse mother agrees.
posted by abcde at 8:47 PM on October 3, 2005


that is exactly the kind of symptom i have with a strenuous workout. Diagnosed as asthma when I was a kid. Very scary, because there's pain and constriction, and when I was little I didn't know enough to stop before I couldn't breathe. But yeah, see a doctor, they'll give you something that should help.
posted by lorrer at 9:48 PM on October 3, 2005


Maybe exercise induced asthma?

Of course, one of the first things it says is that heart or lung problems must be ruled out (using the docterese, of course, respiratory infections and cardiac conditions).

So it seems like a doctors visit would be a good idea.
posted by teece at 10:42 PM on October 3, 2005


Lorrer: Does you still consider it to asthma?
I'm curious because in the case described by the question, exercise induced asthma doesn't ring as likely to me - the description of sharp pain limited to the throat, without indicating symptoms elsewhere doesn't sound even remotely like any kind of EIA I've ever had. Symptoms will obviously vary between people, but almost by definition I'd think you'd expect something noticeable to be happening in the lungs while or after it occurs if it's asthma. I reserve the right to be wrong.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:14 AM on October 4, 2005


Response by poster: Frank Grimes: Moderately, yes.

lorrer: It doesn't actually interfere with my breathing per se, it just hurts.
posted by clockzero at 3:45 AM on October 4, 2005


Doesn't sound like asthma to me, either -- and that's a symptom I've been intimately involved with, for 15 years now.

To me, asthma means wheezing, and the brochia spasms' effect is like "breathing through a straw," as they describe it nowadays. Before I had it diagnosed, early on, I'd describe my problem as being unable to clear my throat. Also, I've know a parent whose young child's asthma manifested itself as coughing. But pain? Get thee to thy doctor, pronto.
posted by Rash at 9:37 AM on October 4, 2005


ah, somehow I read "hard to keep running" as "hard to breath." I had pain along with the constriction, probably in large part from trying to breathe through such a small amount of throat. But yeah, sounds like doctor time.
posted by lorrer at 3:26 PM on October 4, 2005


I've had this problem forever, but only when it's cold outside. Just a sharp, tight soreness of the throat when I run. Anecdotally, someone on this thread describes running with the mouth covered to keep from breathing in cold air, which I'm planning to try when it gets freezing (haven't had to deal with this in the last two years while I was living in FL & CA).
posted by grrarrgh00 at 3:42 PM on October 5, 2005


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