Exercise Is Nothing to Sneeze At

QI have had a persistent problem for about three years. Whenever I wrap up an intense session of cardio, I launch into a sneezing fit. This will usually linger for the remainder of the day. I now avoid exercising to deter this bout of sneezing and the inevitable taking of Benadryl that will knock me out. I do have mild spring allergies, but this is not season-specific -- or time-specific. Maybe it's psychological? I just want to run on a nice spring day again!

-- Meredith

ADon't tell any buddies who think of the gym as a smoothie bar with some weights and stuff nearby, but there is such a thing as being allergic to exercise. It's called exercise-induced anaphylaxis. The problem with that diagnosis, in your case: Sneezing isn't one of the symptoms.

Nirupma Rohatgi, an allergist with offices in the District and Gaithersburg, bets (despite your doubts) that your achoos are more likely caused by pollen. She thinks at least part of your problems stem from the same scourge that makes the rest of the region miserable this time of year. "So don't run in the morning, because that's when pollen counts are highest," she says.

But you were hoping to be more of a medical mystery, right? Well, Rohatgi also suggests that you may be having a vasomotor reaction. That's a non-allergic response -- which commonly includes sneezing! -- caused by an array of odd triggers, including spicy foods, strong emotions or a change in temperature. It's the same thing that's behind what my dad always calls my "photic sneeze response," a nose's reaction to being in bright light.

Letting an allergist prick away at your arm can give you a heads-up about any undiagnosed allergies you may have, Rohatgi advises. In the meantime, snag an over-the-counter non-drowsy antihistamine so you don't sneeze or pass out after a morning of exercise.

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