Why Do My Lungs Hurt After Running
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Why Do My Lungs Hurt After Running?

Why Do My Lungs Hurt After Running?
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Updated on August 6, 2025
by
Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CF-L1

New runners can feel as though their lungs are burning after running for some distance. Running forces you to breathe more rapidly, meaning your lungs work harder to get oxygen throughout your body. They need time to acclimate to this new sensation.

There are situations, however, when an inability to catch your breath is a sign of a serious medical condition. Get to know what causes you to feel breathing discomfort after running and what you can do about it.

Causes of Breathing Discomfort After Running

It's often natural to have a little breathing discomfort while running or a short burst of intense exercise.

 If that out-of-breath feeling is temporary, it may be for a number of reasons.

You're New to Running

You need blood and oxygen pumped all over your body to exercise. Your heart and lungs work overtime to keep you moving, and they both get stronger over time as your fitness improves.

If you haven't run much before and your general fitness level is low, you might experience more shortness of breath while running. If you are able to continue or build upon your running routine consistently, however, your body can become more efficient at getting oxygen to your bloodstream and reduce that out-of-breath feeling.

You're Breathing Through Your Mouth

Breathing through your mouth may be less efficient at bringing oxygen into your lungs than breathing through your nose.

 This may be because your sinuses produce nitric oxide, which helps improve circulation.
Other research has shown, however, that there may not be benefits to breathing through your nose versus breathing through your mouth if you are otherwise healthy.

It's Cold Out

It's common for your lungs to hurt more after running in cold weather than when it’s warm out. That's because cold air is often dry and can dehydrate your bronchial tubes, causing them to constrict and let less air through.

The Air Quality Is Poor

Running outside in polluted, smoggy air might make it harder or more painful to breathe. Research shows that even healthy adults between ages 20 and 30 have a higher probability of developing health issues such as cardiovascular disease if they exercise in a highly polluted environment.

Your Lungs Are Inflamed

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, once known as exercise-induced asthma, is a chronic condition caused by inflammation and narrowing of the airways.

Although anyone can experience symptoms, especially if you are breathing air that is colder and drier than what’s already in your body, it is more common in people who already have asthma.

Symptoms such as a cough, tightness in the chest, and feeling out of breath typically appear shortly after you begin exercise and may resolve 15 minutes after you end it. If symptoms do not go away, call the doctor.

You Have Another Underlying Health Condition

Certain treatable conditions can lead to feelings of lung discomfort and chest pain. These may include:

  • Anxiety
  • Acid reflux
  • Asthma
  • Inflamed cartilage
  • Pulmonary embolism, in rare cases

How to Stop Burning Lungs After Running

If you have lung pain after running and shortness of breath, your body will naturally start working against you. You'll begin gulping air through your mouth.

Breathing exercises can help your lungs work more efficiently and even improve your cardiovascular and muscular help. Exercises include:

  • Pursed-Lip Breathing Breathe in through your nose and exhale for twice as long through your mouth with pursed lips.
  • Belly Breathing Breathe in through your nose, feel your chest expand, and exhale through your mouth for two to three times as long as it takes to inhale.

Always check the air quality before exercising outdoors, as well, using a web site such as AirNow.gov. Depending on the conditions, you might want to exercise inside, at a later time, or at a lower intensity.

If you have asthma, be sure to take medication as your doctor has prescribed.

When to See a Doctor

If you experience pain regularly after running, make an appointment with your doctor to be certain of the cause of your lung pain after exercising. Although a mild burning sensation in your lungs after running can be common, you should never assume the lung pain you're experiencing is normal.

If the burning sensation doesn't go away, and you're having any lightheadedness or a change in your heartbeat, or if you have a family history of heart disease or sudden cardiac death, go to the emergency room.

A doctor may do a physical examination to rule out a respiratory infection and ask about your history with lung pain, the climate you're running in, how quickly the pain disappears once you rest, and other symptoms you experience.

If your doctor uncovers a more serious underlying condition, hold off on running until you get the all-clear.

The Takeaway

  • Feeling a burning sensation in your chest after running can be common, especially if you are new to running.
  • Causes of feeling out of breath may include cold and dry air, polluted air, lung inflammation, or health conditions such as asthma.
  • Breathing exercises can help you prepare your lungs for exercise, and lung pain may go away the more you run.
  • If your lung pain persists, consult a healthcare professional.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Corliss J. Unmasking the Varied Causes of Breathlessness and Fatigue. Harvard Health Publishing. April 1, 2022.
  2. Exercise and Lung Health. American Lung Association. July 24, 2025.
  3. McCallum K. Why Proper Breathing During Exercise Is Important & How to Avoid Common Mistakes. Houston Methodist. May 18, 2023.
  4. Lörinczi F et al. Nose vs. Mouth Breathing– Acute Effect of Different Breathing Regimens on Muscular Endurance. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. February 9, 2024.
  5. Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB). American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
  6. Kim SR et al. Association of the Combined Effects of Air Pollution and Changes in Physical Activity With Cardiovascular Disease in Young Adults. European Heart Journal. July 1, 2021.
  7. Chest Pain in Young Athletes: When You Should Be Concerned. Cleveland Clinic. October 18, 2021.
  8. Breathing Exercises. American Lung Association. July 25, 2025.
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Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CF-L1

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Sarah Klein

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Sarah Klein is a Boston-based health journalist with over 15 years experience in lifestyle media. She has held staff positions at Livestrong.com, Health.com, Prevention, and Huffington Post. She is a graduate of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University, and a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer. She moderated a panel on accessibility in fitness at SXSW in 2022, completed the National Press Foundation's 2020 Vaccine Boot Camp, and attended the Mayo Clinic's Journalist Residency in 2019.

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Henry is a freelance writer and personal trainer living in New York City. You can find out more about him by visiting his website: henryhalse.com.

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