Laughter Can Set Off Asthma

Is laughter-induced asthma a sign that anindividual's asthma is not properly controlled?New research suggests that it maybe an indicator. A study of 235 patients withasthma found that 56% of the participantsnoted laughter as a trigger for their breathingproblems. Coughing and chest tightnesswere the most prevalent symptoms associatedwith this type of asthma. Laughterinducedasthma, however, did not appear tocause more asthma flare-ups requiringemergency room care or hospital stays,compared with other forms of asthma.

"Patients did report that, during timeswhen their asthma is well-controlled, theycan laugh for longer without getting asthmasymptoms," said researcher StuartGaray, MD. "That suggests that laughter-inducedasthma may be a sign that a person'sasthma is not as well-controlled as itcould be. People with asthma should beallowed to laugh."

Although how laughter can cause asthmasymptoms is not clear, it may involvehyperventilating. The amount of laughterthat can cause asthma symptoms varied foreach individual, noted Dr. Garay.