Each year, I hear from runners wondering why their lungs burn when they run. It’s often during the colder months of the year, but can happen at any time due to the varying causes. Today we’ll talk about the top 7 causes and give you some quick solutions.
Most of the reasons behind the burning sensation in our lungs are pretty innocuous. While there are some causes that should be addressed by a medical professional, most of the time it’s nothing to worry about and should ease with time.
This burning sensation isn’t limited to just running. You can experience it during a variety of higher intensity exercises like rowing, swimming, cycling, and others.
So what’s behind this burning sensation when you run? What can you do about it? When should you be concerned that it’s something more serious? Keep reading to get the answer to all of these questions.
Why Do My Lungs Burn When I Run?
There are several reasons behind why your lungs may feel like they’re burning when running and even after. As I mentioned, most of the reasons aren’t serious and should ease over time. However, sometimes there’s more going on there that should be assessed by a doctor.
Let’s dive into the various reasons behind this feeling, both the ones that are less worrisome and those that should be checked out further.
#1 Running in Cold Weather
Since I often get this question during the cold weather months of the year, I wanted to tackle this one first.
Cold temperatures, especially combined with low humidity, is probably one of the most common reasons for this feeling. The best part is that this is nothing to worry about!
Cold air impacts us in a variety of ways. However, it’s important to note that the air is no longer cold by the time it reaches our lungs. By then, it’s been warmed to our body temperature.
So why do we still feel the burning sensation?
It’s most likely from it being so dry. This dry and cold air needs to be humidified by our bodies and as a result, this pulls the moisture out of the cells in our nasal passages and trachea as the air passes through on the way to our lungs.
This can be irritating and lead to that burning feeling. However, it can be minimized, but more on that later.
And remember there are a LOT of incredible health benefits to exercising in the cold. So don’t just give it up.
But if it’s causing you a lot of issues, checkout these ideas for indoor workouts to replace a run.
#2 You’re New to Running
Are you new to running or high intensity exercise? If so, this may be the cause. This is also applicable if you’re coming back from a long layoff.
There are a couple reasons being new and returning to exercise may be the cause of the burning sensation.
You may find you’re breathing harder, which is something that will improve as your body gets used to the exercise and the intensity. Breathing hard can cause your lungs and nearby muscles to stretch in ways they’re not used to.
Another reason that breathing harder may cause the burning sensation is that you may be breathing through your mouth. This will dry out your throat, esophagus and airways and you may feel a burn.
The good news is, this is another issue that should ease with time.
Checkout my advice for learning how to breathe while running >>
#3 Exercise-induced Asthma
Another issue is exercise-induced asthma. Runners with asthma, which is a chronic lung disease that causes inflammation, may experience a constriction of the airways when running and exercising.
Asthma makes it harder for the body to get oxygen to our lungs due to the airways narrowing. This can be very painful, especially when trying to breather harder or more rapidly during exercise.
In addition to the burning sensation, you may also experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing, among other symptoms.
Also related to this is exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). While more common in runners with asthma, healthy runners can also experience EIB. It usually has an onset about 30 minutes into heavy exercise and results from muscle spasms and increased intensity.
Checkout my full article on tips for running with asthma if you think this is your issue.
#4 Respiratory Infections and Illnesses
There are many illnesses that can affect our respiratory systems, including pneumonia, the common cold, the flu, COVID-19, and others.
These illnesses often result in inflammation in our lungs and airways. The effects of these illnesses can last a long time, impacting our ability to exercise comfortably and safely.
It’s important to take our time when coming back from one of these illnesses.
#5 Acid Reflux
This one is probably a cause that doesn’t immediately come to mind. Even though our lungs aren’t even involved, acid reflux can make us feel like our lungs are burning because the signs and symptoms are similar.
Acid reflux, aka gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is quite common. It may be more prone to occur if you run recently after consuming triggering foods or drinks.
GERD is caused when our stomach acids are able to get back up into the esophagus. When this happens it causes a burning sensation in your esophagus, which can feel like your heart or lungs are burning.
Thankfully this is usually easily prevented or treated!
#6 Heart and Other Lung Conditions
Besides asthma and respiratory infections, there are other lung and heart issues that can trigger the burning sensation.
Some of these other lung conditions include emphysema and bronchitis. These need to be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.
When it comes to the heart, issues include angina, cardiac arrests and heart attacks. If you have concerns about your heart, see a doctor as soon as possible. Many issues are treatable and should be monitored long term.
You’re at increased risk for these issues if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, you smoke, or have diabetes, among other things.
#7 Air Quality
One more cause of the burning sensation I wanted to include is running in bad air quality. As someone who lives in an area that deals with smoke from forest fires, this is something I really pay attention to when it comes to planning my runs.
Smoke and other types of air pollution can negatively affect our respiratory systems. When air quality is poor, rethink running outside!
Tips for Prevention or Treatment
Now that we’ve covered the various reasons you might experience a burning sensation when doing high intensity exercise like running, let’s get to some tips on how to prevent or treat this issue.
Hydration
When it comes to cold weather running, make sure you’re hydrated. It’s actually quite easy to get dehydrated with winter running because we don’t often feel thirsty or think we sweat as much. But we do. Drink, drink, drink!
Face Covering
You can also consider investing in a balaclava or neck warmer or other mask that covers your face is useful in the dry air. It will help to trap moisture which might be just the thing to reduce discomfort in your windpipe.
Slow Down
Another suggestion that’s applicable to cold weather running, if you’re new or returning to exercise, deal with asthma, or are recovering from illness, and that is to back off. You may be asking too much of your body and it needs more time to recover and/or adapt.
Ease off the pace a bit and slowly work back up to your regular intensity. Remember that run/walk is an incredible tool for allowing your body to adapt to the demands of running.
Visit Your Doctor
When it comes to acid reflux, as I mentioned, go see a doctor regarding your concerns. They may have ideas for how to prevent this issue or may prescribe medication if this is happening to you at other times besides when you’re running.
For heart and lung concerns, again see a doctor asap if you think something more serious is brewing.
Get bloodwork so you have a baseline for your cholesterol and can monitor over time for changes, both good and bad. This is especially important if heart issues and high blood pressure run in your genetics.
Again, these things can be monitored and treated, if needed. Plus exercise can be one way to improve your heart health!
Reduce Exposure to Poor Air Quality
Finally, when it comes to air quality, it’s easy to monitor this through a weather app. If you’re in an area that often has poor air quality due to pollutants or fires, for example, invest in a treadmill or get a gym membership.
Having a place to run on those bad air days will ensure you can keep up with your training while protecting your lungs.
All right, I hope this helped you pin point why you might be getting that burning lung while exercising feeling!
Looking for more training tips?
- Common Causes of Coughing After Running
- New Runner Tips – Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
- Comparing Garmin Watches (Best option for beginners)
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