Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke - ScienceDaily

Home » Why Do I Cough When I Laugh » Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke - ScienceDaily

Maybe your like

Science News from research organizations Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke Date: May 25, 2005 Source: American Thoracic Society Summary: More than half of people with asthma report that their symptoms are brought on by laughter, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 24 in San Diego. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY

SAN DIEGO -- More than half of people with asthma report that their symptoms are brought on by laughter, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 24.

The study of 235 patients with asthma found that 56% had laughter-induced asthma (LIA). Asthma that is triggered by laughter doesn't seem to cause more asthma flare-ups requiring emergency room visits or hospitalizations compared with other types of asthma, according to study author Stuart Garay, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine at NYU Medical Center in New York. "But patients did report that during times when their asthma is well controlled they can laugh for longer without getting asthma symptoms. That suggests that laughter-induced asthma may be a sign that a person's asthma isn't as well controlled as it could be. People with asthma should be allowed to laugh."

Nobody knows how laughter brings on asthma, but it might involve hyperventilating, Dr. Garay said. He noted that exercise was the only trigger more common in people with laughter-induced asthma compared with asthma not induced by laughter (61% of people with LIA vs. 35% of asthma patients without LIA).

Dr. Garay was struck by how common laughter-induced asthma is. "It's as common as some of the most well-known asthma triggers, such as grasses, trees, pollen, fumes and odors, and it's even more common than dust mites, allergy to animals and molds," he said. "It's a little-appreciated frequent trigger."

The study found that the most common symptom in patients with laughter-induced asthma was coughing, which generally starts within two minutes. The next most common symptom was chest tightness.

How much laughter can set off breathing problems? "It depends on the patient," Dr. Garay said. "For a majority of patients, mild laughter or even a chuckle will set off coughing. For others, laughing hard will bring on asthma symptoms."

  • RELATED TOPICS
  • RELATED TERMS

Story Source:

Materials provided by American Thoracic Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Cite This Page:

  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
American Thoracic Society. "Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 May 2005. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050524230036.htm>. American Thoracic Society. (2005, May 25). Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 8, 2026 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050524230036.htm American Thoracic Society. "Laughter-induced Asthma: It's No Joke." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050524230036.htm (accessed February 8, 2026).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily RELATED STORIES Scientists May Have Been Wrong About What Causes Asthma Jan. 27, 2026 — Asthma may not be driven by the molecules scientists have blamed for decades. Researchers have identified “pseudo leukotrienes,” inflammation-triggering compounds formed by uncontrolled ... Multiple Air Pollutants Linked to Asthma Symptoms in Children Mar. 13, 2024 — Exposure to several combinations of toxic atmospheric pollutants may be triggering asthma symptoms among children, a recent analysis suggests. The study showed that 25 different combinations of air ... Persistent Asthma Linked to Increased Buildup of Plaque in Arteries Leading to the Brain Nov. 23, 2022 — A new study suggests individuals with persistent asthma have higher levels of inflammation and artery plaque, which may increase heart attack or stroke risk. An analysis of data for more than 5,000 ... How Exercise Interventions Could Help People With Asthma Jan. 7, 2022 — Interventions aimed at promoting physical activity in people with asthma could improve their symptoms and quality of life -- according to new research. Researchers looked at whether interventions ... International Study Supports Dupilumab for Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Asthma in Children Dec. 8, 2021 — In a late-stage clinical trial, the biologic agent dupilumab reduced the rate of severe asthma attacks and improved lung function and asthma control for children ages 6 to 11. The findings of the ... Can We Tell Someone’s Cultural Group from the Way They Laugh? Nov. 15, 2021 — Can we infer someone's cultural group from their laugher, even when we do not know what they are laughing at? And what kind of laughter do we find most positive? A new study shows that our ... TRENDING AT SCITECHDAILY.com

Scientists Reconstruct a Giant 31-Foot “Dinosaur-Killer” Crocodile in Unprecedented Detail

The Sleep Sound Millions Trust May Be Stealing Your REM Sleep

Life Learned To Breathe Oxygen Hundreds of Millions of Years Earlier Than Scientists Thought

Scientists Watched Kidneys Age in Months and Found a Kidney Protector

  Print   Email   Share

Breaking

this hour
  • Mars’ Water Mystery May Have a Simple Answer
  • Seeing Inside the Human Body in 3D Color
  • Physicists Watch a Superfluid Freeze
  • Endangered Sea Turtles Hear Ship Noise
  • Deep Inside Earth, Heat Giants Shape Magnetism
  • Inside a Two-Month-Old Baby Brain
  • New Brain Tool Could Explain Consciousness
  • Melting Antarctic Ice May Weaken Carbon Uptake
  • The Genetic Turning Point That Made Backbones
  • A Quiet Cellular Change Drives Aging
this week HEALTH & MEDICINE Liver Disease Breast Cancer Medical Devices MIND & BRAIN Consumer Behavior Dementia Intelligence LIVING & WELL Skin Care Consumer Behavior Fitness

Strange & Offbeat

  HEALTH & MEDICINE A Hidden Aloe Vera Compound Takes Aim at Alzheimer’s This Unexpected Plant Discovery Could Change How Drugs Are Made Scientists Call for Urgent Action as Dangerous Amoebas Spread Globally MIND & BRAIN MIT's New Brain Tool Could Finally Explain Consciousness “Existential Risk” – Why Scientists Are Racing to Define Consciousness Researchers Tested AI Against 100,000 Humans on Creativity LIVING & WELL Tiny Doses of THC Show Big Benefits for HIV Treatment Doctors Discover the Source of Mysterious Intoxication Scientists Find a Natural Sunscreen Hidden in Hot Springs Bacteria Toggle navigation Menu   SD
  • SD
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Home
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Health
    • View all the latest top news in the health sciences, or browse the topics below: Health & Medicine
      • Allergy
      • Cancer
      • Cold and Flu
      • Diabetes
      • Heart Disease
      • ... more topics
      Mind & Brain
      • ADD and ADHD
      • Alzheimer's
      • Headaches
      • Intelligence
      • Psychology
      • ... more topics
      Living Well
      • Parenting
      • Child Development
      • Stress
      • Nutrition
      • Fitness
      • ... more topics
  • Tech
    • View all the latest top news in the physical sciences & technology, or browse the topics below: Matter & Energy
      • Chemistry
      • Fossil Fuels
      • Nanotechnology
      • Physics
      • Solar Energy
      • ... more topics
      Space & Time
      • Black Holes
      • Dark Matter
      • Extrasolar Planets
      • Solar System
      • Space Telescopes
      • ... more topics
      Computers & Math
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Mathematics
      • Quantum Computers
      • Robotics
      • Virtual Reality
      • ... more topics
  • Enviro
    • View all the latest top news in the environmental sciences, or browse the topics below: Plants & Animals
      • Agriculture and Food
      • Biology
      • Biotechnology
      • Extinction
      • Microbes and More
      • ... more topics
      Earth & Climate
      • Climate
      • Earthquakes
      • Geology
      • Global Warming
      • Pollution
      • ... more topics
      Fossils & Ruins
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • Dinosaurs
      • Evolution
      • Paleontology
      • ... more topics
  • Society
    • View all the latest top news in the social sciences & education, or browse the topics below: Science & Society
      • Arts & Culture
      • Economics
      • Privacy Issues
      • Public Health
      • Sports
      • ... more topics
      Business & Industry
      • Computers & Internet
      • Energy & Resources
      • Engineering
      • Medical Technology
      • Transportation
      • ... more topics
      Education & Learning
      • Creativity
      • Educational Psychology
      • Infant & Preschool
      • Learning Disorders
      • STEM Education
      • ... more topics
  • Quirky
    • Top News
    • Human Quirks
    • Odd Creatures
    • Bizarre Things
    • Weird World
Keyword:Search

Tag » Why Do I Cough When I Laugh