If I have difficulty breathing should I stop exercising?

If your breathing becomes extremely strained and/or painful you should stop exercising immediately. However, it is often times difficult to delineate between being out of shape and an underlying health concern. Moderate and high intensity exercises will result in an elevated respiratory rate and heart rate in healthy individuals. One simple and effective way to measure your perceived exertion is to utilize the ‘Talk Test’. If you are able to talk comfortably, you are exercising at a low intensity. However, if conversing with someone becomes difficult, the exercise intensity would be labeled as high. And of course, there is a sliding scale between exercises of low and high intensity. The talk test is a practical and simple way to measure your exercise intensity.

Always stop exercising if you notice any unusual sign or symptom. Difficulty breathing could mean you are out of shape or it could be an indication of a more serious problem with your lungs or your heart. Most of the time, physical activity and exercise are safe. But if you have symptoms such as unusual pain, chest pain, pain in your neck or shoulder, pain in your jaw or back, stop exercising and talk to your doctor.

In addition, if you have severe shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, trouble speaking, blurred vision, sudden weakness, dizziness or joint pain, stop the exercise and seek medical help immediately. Your doctor may ask to see you and check out unusual symptoms with exercise. Once you have a clean bill of health, you can begin to be more active again.

If you are experiencing shortness of breath you should stop exercise.  Shortness of breath may be a result of being inactive.  Exercise is very safe and good for the heart and lungs but if you have been inactive then exercise may be a challenge at first.  However, stopping to catch your breath would be a wise choice.

If shortness of breath is combined with cold sweats, nausea, or vomiting then seeking immediate help as this may be a more severe issue.  Following seeking help, wait until you are cleared by your physician prior to start exercise once again.