Dry chest and mild cough issues from cycling?

Hammy1980

Hello all,

I've bee a regular commuter for years in London but over the last few weeks I've been cycling everyday through peak traffic at 40 mins each day. Since the cold has come in I've had an on and off problem with a dry tickly "ahem" kind of irritant in my chest and throat. Not a cold as such.

I wrap up very warm and wear a snood to protect my throat and chest etc.

Could it be the smog? Even though I was fine in summer? Is it time for a mask? Do they work?

Does anyone else have this issue?

Any thoughts really welcome

Thank you
Paul

mlgt

its likely that you still have a slight cough. Ive had my cold and still have a dry tickly cough.
I now use a chewing gum to help me to not cough so much.

R

Ben6899

Could be Exercise Induced Bronchospasm caused by cold, dry air. It irritates the bronchials and they contract, making it difficult to breathe and causing a cough after the effort.

It's basically asthma.

Revdarny

Also make sure when breathing in you breath through your nose. The cold air can damage your damage your lungs in the colder months. Breathing through your nose will help bring the air up to body temperature.

If it gets serious, I suggest you see a doctor though.

rjsterry

Ben6899 wrote:

Could be Exercise Induced Bronchospasm caused by cold, dry air. It irritates the bronchials and they contract, making it difficult to breathe and causing a cough after the effort.

It's basically asthma.

I'm a fellow sufferer, and after some significant investigation involving chest x-rays, this is the conclusion they came to. The slightly daft prescription was an inhaler that had a significant side effect of encouraging thrush infections in the throat :? so I though bother that and bought a Respro Techno face mask, which has proved very effective if a little gimpy. The Respor is one of the few masks that actually has proven filtration of pollution, and the mask also helps with humidification of incoming air. Good for hayfever too.

Hammy1980

Thank you.

Not having any trouble breathing. Just a dry scratchy feeling.
Not a cold.

jonnyboy77

Hammy1980 wrote:

Thank you.

Not having any trouble breathing. Just a dry scratchy feeling.
Not a cold.

I'd suggest seeing your GP. I had something similar, though doesn't sound the same (mine was in the summer) and after being prescribed Antihistamines it cleared up immediately. Not hayfever the GP suggested, but an allergy of some sort that was irritating my bronchioles (?).

Also sounds similar to Exercise Induced Bronchoconstriction http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-tre ... ction.aspx

But as always, if symptoms persist, a visit to your GP is recommended

- Jon

Ben6899

Hammy1980 wrote:

Thank you.

Not having any trouble breathing. Just a dry scratchy feeling.
Not a cold.

I'm generally okay, but aware that I can't go as well in these cold, dry months.

I first felt it (had trouble breathing) coming down off Emley Moor... so doing ~40mph and not pedalling. All of a sudden, aarghkkhfhkudffhdsfhskdjdsd. So I went to see my doc.

He too prescribed an inhaler, but now I use a buff to dampen the air a little as it comes in.