3.4 Exercise-induced rhinitis
It has been postulated that laborious exercise has a direct negative
effect on nasal functioning and can lead to “exercise-induced
rhinitis”. In healthy individuals, exercise promotes a decrease in
nasal airway resistance due to an increased sympathetic tone upon a rise
in the arterial pCO2 42, however, in patients
suffering from pre-existing rhinitis, isometric exercise induces
conversely an increase in nasal resistance, probably due to an abnormal
neurogenic regulation of the nasal mucosa in these patients43. There is also data that strenuous exercise can
lead to rhinitis symptoms and nasal inflammatory changes by itself. One
study found a nasal neutrophil influx after a 20 km race in combination
with an significantly prolonged MCT after the race 44.