Short breathing problem

Every time a person experiences certain breathing difficulties, he or she will feel how not enough air is getting into the lungs and there is also a feeling of tightness in chest. Medical term for this condition is dyspnea or dyspnoea. For almost all people this is not a pleasant experience. A person who is suffering from certain respiratory impairment is more likely to suffer from this inconvenience. Shortness of breath can also be a symptom of some underlying disease. This disease is either connected to respiratory or cardiovascular system. In cases when the breathing is not that severely blocked it is usually due to a stuffy nose or if a person is performing certain hard exercises. Symptoms of short breath are not that easily detectable and in almost all cases only a person suffering from them is able to notice them. If the shortness of breath is followed by chest pain there is a possibility of a heart attack.

Symptoms of short breath problem

There are several symptoms that a person needs to pay attention to. Tightness and pain in the chest which is followed by coughing are the most common symptoms. Some of the other symptoms are discoloration of face and wrists, strong headaches and chills, the feeling of breathlessness during walking or even sitting, problems in speaking, wheezing sounds during inhaling and exhaling and the feeling of tiredness.

Short breath causes

There are many reasons why a person may experience shortness of breath. Some of the causes that are most common are asthma, an injury to the lungs, neck or wall of the chest, irregular heart beats, heart palpitations and congestive heart failure. Certain lung disorders can also cause shortness of breath like pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pleural effusion, accumulation of fluids in the lungs, pulmonary embolism and blood clotting in lungs. Other causes include low blood pressure, upper respiratory infection, asphyxiation, carbon monoxide poisoning, reaction to certain medications like ibuprofen or Aspirin, lack of oxygen in the brain and anaphylactic shock syndrome. There are also some causes that do not occur that often but can cause shortness of breath like the formation of scar tissue in the lungs, a collapsed lung and lung cancer.

Treatment for short breathing problem

A person who suffers from shortness of breath should go to the hospital. The doctor will send a patient for a chest X-ray and probably some other tests like blood test or a CT scan. When the cause is discovered, the doctor will prescribe a proper treatment.