# First run in a while, and coughing after running. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2005, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784 "2005-12-22T12:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/1 "2005-12-22T12:05:27Z")
It’s been a while since I’ve did some running. It’s about 20F degrees here, and I did about 10 minutes of jogging. A Google search of this symptom, after running, says that it may be Asthma. I doubt it’s Asthma because I wasn’t breathing heavy after wards, just a slight irritating cough. And I’m healthy otherwise. I’ve noted the same thing in the past when I have run, and I started coughing afterwards, but it went away after I got used running more. So is this just some irritation of the lungs, and what causes it? I not really looking for medical advice really, just wondering what causes this coughing. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/2 "2005-12-22T15:30:20Z")
Might it be just what I term “the hacks” - you know, the series of small coughs you get after drinking something cold (like a malt) too quickly? I’m thinking the cold air you inhaled might have a similar effect. ---
**Author:** ![CoBa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@CoBa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoBa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/3 "2005-12-22T15:38:01Z")
My guess is that you are not receiving enough oxygen, the coughing is a way to make you inhale air swiftly. ---
**Author:** ![Viscera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Viscera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viscera)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/4 "2005-12-22T15:38:43Z")
This happens to me as well (I’d probably say I’m in fair shape, I play some intramural sports and whatnot), only in cold weather. I get an annoying cough that lasts maybe an hour or so after doing anything more than a short run. I never really thought anything of it or worried about it, other than it was the cold weather causing it. Sorry I can’t help with a cause. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/5 "2005-12-22T16:22:08Z")
Most folks think of wheezing when they think of asthma, but coughing is the most frequent symptom. Exercise is an asthma trigger for many asthmatics. I wouldn’t be so quick to cross off asthma as the cause of your coughing. Your doctor can test your breathing capacity before and after exercise to find out. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-run-in-a-while-and-coughing-after-running/336784/6 "2005-12-22T16:50:36Z")
I have never had any trouble with asthma, but I cough after I run in very cold weather. Especially when I’ve let my conditioning slip (like, I haven’t run in a week) I cough quite a lot and it persists for maybe a half hour after the run. What seems to help me a lot is making sure my trunk stays warm. In addition to a long-sleeved wicking layer, I wear a windbreaker and fleece vest when it’s cold (30’s & 20’s), and add a fleece jacket when it’s _really_ cold (less than 20). The steam from a warm shower also might help the cough go away, but it also might be that the cough just goes away on its own, and I always take a warm shower after running. 🙂 But I think some coughing after a run is just part of winter running.