Shortness of Breath: Signs That Indicate You Should See a Doctor

Published on: 19th September 2024
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sohail Bana

If you feel a tightness in your chest with breathing difficulty, as if unable to get enough air in your lungs, you have just experienced shortness of breath or Dyspnea. While the feeling of gasping for air could be due to minor or temporary issues, it can indicate an underlying health complication or disorder of the heart, lungs, or other diseases.

It is important to recognize the symptoms, as breathing problems could be a precursor of a serious condition. Let us thus, understand more about Dyspnea in detail.

Understanding Shortness of Breath vs. Normal Breathing Issues

While normal breathing issues can result from physical exercise, running, taking stress, or feeling anxious or too happy, the shortness of breath could be more contentious, and complicated:

One possible condition is Sighing dyspnea, wherein you may take deep breaths after a lot of sighing to ease breathing. The other is Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND), after falling asleep you may get the feeling of inability to breathe for an hour or two.
If you are in a suffocating or enclosed space, you may have difficulty breathing, and that is normal. It is a natural body reaction if your heart races to pump more blood and help oxygen reach your organs.
However, shortness of breath causes may indicate a possible respiratory infection, dysfunction of lungs or other body systems, and asphyxiation.

Difficulty Breathing: Common Causes and Serious Implications

Here are some of the reasons for shortness of breath from minor to more serious ones:

Minor Causes

Allergies are the reason for Dyspnea, as they cause blocked or narrow airways. It is best to avoid coming in touch with allergens or anything that may cause nasal irritation.
If you are sick, dehydrated, or have engaged in a workout regimen, problems with breathing may occur. Try to calm down and breathe slowly to overcome the condition.
Immediate consequence of breathing issues, is choking in the throat due to food or a foreign item stuck in the air passageway or the food pipe. Try to release the item at the earliest for relief.

Severe Health Conditions

Some of the shortness of breath causes are respiratory infection, asthma, tuberculosis, fluid in the lungs, inflammation of the lungs, heart disorder, etc.
Collapsed lungs, pulmonary embolism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung complications.
Other reasons for shortness of breath are arrhythmia, anemia, endocarditis, heart failure, pericarditis, cardiomyopathy, or myocarditis.
Broken ribs, sleep apnea, depression, obesity, and being in extreme temperatures may also cause shortness of breath in a few.

Breathing Problems: When to Seek Medical Attention?

Here is a list of signs and symptoms of difficulty breathing, which you must consult your doctor at the earliest:

If you experience sudden chest pain with shortness of breath, you must get a doctor on call immediately.
If your nails, lips, or skin turn blue due to instant breathlessness, then seek urgent medical attention.
Irregular heartbeats, finding any breathing exercise persistently hard, swollen ankles or feet combined with difficulty breathing means it is time to consult a professional.
Wheezing or high-pitched sound during breathing is also an early warning sign of breathing problems and other health issues.

Importance of a Breathing Test

A breathing test is necessary if you encounter shortness of breath quite often. It can detect the actual cause behind the condition. Here are some of the diagnostic measures:

You must get a physical exam to check your blood pressure and prescribed blood tests to track possible illnesses or anemia, resulting in difficulty breathing.
The healthcare provider may recommend a CT scan, chest X-ray, or special imaging test for your chest and lungs.
A lung function test is a breathing test most common and suggested by professionals, especially for those with a history of breathing troubles.
Or, he/she may ask you to use a stationary bike or treadmill for cardiopulmonary exercise testing. This can help detect your breathing pattern, the oxygen amount intake, and the carbon dioxide amounts you release during a workout.

How to Manage and Improve Breathing?

While shortness of breath may not always be a serious problem, there are a few ways to better your breathing process:

Breathing Exercises

To enhance your lung capacity, try pursed lip breathing. It helps to widen the airways and let more air pass in and out of the nose.
Breathe in through the nose and feel your belly inflating, and after releasing the air from the mouth, you will feel the stomach deflate. This belly breathing exercise is quite useful for any common man.
Practice deep breathing exercises for 5-10 minutes every day. Sit in a comfortable position and relax your mind beforehand. This routine will facilitate oxygen circulation in the blood, and even unclog your airways.
If a steady workout causes shortness of breath, resort to interval training by taking gaps between physical activities.

Lifestyle Changes

To reduce breathing problems, quit smoking and do not use irritants such as certain perfumes and aerosols.
Exercise physically regularly. Start with walking and light jogging. This will help manage your weight and improve your lung capacity and breathing.
Do yoga and meditation. Try to counter stress and manage anger, if you get disturbed or upset too soon and often.
Maintain a healthy sleeping pattern if shortness of breath is because of tiredness and lack of sleep.
Avoid oily food items as these are bad for your gut, heart, and overall well-being. Drink plenty of water and substitute alcohol with healthy fruit juices.

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Conclusion: Coping with Shortness of Breath

As respiratory diseases are on the rise everywhere, you must never avoid breathing issues and related health complications. As per Department of Health, in the UAE shortness of breath is also one of the COVID-19 infection symptoms. Thus, if you encounter unusual changes in your breathing, seek timely medical intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What Should I Do if I Experience Sudden Shortness of Breath?

It is advisable to seek immediate medical attention if difficulty breathing intensifies and the cause of it is unknown. Constant breathlessness for a long time can turn out to be fatal.

Q. How Do I Know if My Shortness of Breath is Bad?

Persistent breathing problems are bad as they impact your organs and overall health. Early warning signs are palpitations, unable to breathe properly or fully, and weakness.

Q. Can Shortness of Breath Be Cured Naturally?

The reasons for shortness of breath could be either minor or severe. And you must follow the advise given by the healthcare provider to deal with the condition naturally and medically.

Q. How Do I Know if My Shortness of Breath is Serious?

If shortness of breath causes chest pain, dizziness, blurriness, confusion, headache, or concussion, then it can indicate a worse problem.

References and Citations:

Department of Health – COVID-19 Symptoms, Including Shortness of Breath