Can Laughing Trigger Asthma?

Positive emotions can trigger asthma symptoms, too. GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) lists laughter as a main asthma trigger, and a study by the American Thoracic Society revealed that half of the study group found laughter triggered their symptoms.

Why does laughing cause asthma?

Extreme emotional states like heavy laughter or intense crying can prompt an asthma attack by changing breathing patterns and restricting airflow. “It's a form of hyperventilation, which, like exercise, tends to trigger an asthmatic response in people with underlying airway inflammation,” Zitt says.

Why do I get a cough after laughing?

Chronic cough can also result from laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a subtype of GERD in which reflux reaches the upper airways. People with LPR often cough when eating, drinking, laughing, talking on the telephone, or getting up in the morning, and may experience hoarseness or other voice change.