{"id":2639,"date":"2020-05-20T07:54:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T07:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/?p=2639"},"modified":"2023-07-27T11:24:54","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T11:24:54","slug":"shortness-of-breath-can-be-serious-do-not-ignore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/pulmonology\/shortness-of-breath-can-be-serious-do-not-ignore\/","title":{"rendered":"Shortness of breath can be serious, do not ignore"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What is <\/strong><strong>Dyspnea (shortness of Breath)? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"caps\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oxygen is the life-source for all living beings and is supplied to the body through the process of breathing. Intense physical activity demands more oxygen, so it automatically accelerates breathing. That is why, it\u2019s natural to feel a slight shortness of breath \u2013 called Dyspnea &#8211; when one is exercising intensely, walking quickly, running, jumping, carrying heavy weight, etc. Also, at high altitudes the air is thinner as levels of oxygen available\u00a0 are lower, so activity at high altitudes can also cause shortness of breath.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, when none of the above conditions exist and one is experiencing shortness of breath, it is cause for concern. It is indicative of larger health issues, and should not be ignored. There are various physiological conditions that cause shortness of breath and it\u2019s important to be aware of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Causes of Shortness Breath<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>a) Breathing and Lungs related<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Covid-19: In the present context, it\u2019s very important to note that shortness of breath is a prominent symptom of Covid-19<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asthma and chronic bronchitis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blockage in the breathing passage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lung cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excess fluid in the lungs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulmonary hypertension<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulmonary fibrosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tuberculosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarcoidosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inhaling foreign objects, common in children<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interstitial lung disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collapsed lung<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pneumonia and lung infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blood clot in an artery in the lung<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fungal infections such as coccidiomycosis, blastomycosis, aspergillosis<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"also-read\"><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/k-way-health\/difficulty-in-breathing-what-it-could-mean-and-emergency-response\/\">Difficulty in breathing \u2013 What it could mean and emergency response<\/a><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>b) Heart-related<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart attack<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/k-way-health\/heart-failure-cause-symptoms-types-and-stages\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart failure<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cardiomyopathy or a problem with the heart muscle<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pericarditis or an inflammation of the layer around the heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/k-way-health\/diabetology-and-general-medicine\/obesity-and-heart-disease\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as it puts a strain on the heart\u2019s ability to pump blood<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">c) Environment related<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carbon mono-oxide poisoning from exposure to smoke<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occupational toxicities such as minerals from mines, dust from quarries, chemicals from factories<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air pollution in the city<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allergies and allergic reactions to pollen and mold<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/span><b><\/b><strong><br \/>\nd) Other ailments and conditions<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anemia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anxiety disorders<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guillain-Barre syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broken ribs and traumatic lung injury caused by an accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Epiglottitis or swelling of the &#8220;lid&#8221; of your windpipe<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kyphoscoliosis which is a deformity in the chest wall<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Myasthenia gravis which causes muscle weakness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pregnancy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sudden blood loss due to an accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History of smoking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/Centers-of-Excellence-and-Specialties\/Radiation-Oncology\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Radiation therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nervous system diseases, such as paralysis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acidosis, such as from salicylate overdose (aspirin)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toxicity from drugs given for other ailments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hypotension or low BP<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Symptoms of Shortness Breath<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being out of breath or laboured breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rapid and shallow breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tightness in the chest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hungering for air<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unable to breathe deeply<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling suffocated<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anxiousness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blood in the sputum<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain or tightness in the chest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dizziness, fatigue or fainting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wheezing and or coughing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Palpitations in the heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neck pain and or pain while inhaling<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\nWhen to see a doctor<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swelling in the feet and ankles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty in breathing while lying flat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High fever, chills and incessant cough<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wheezing or whistling sound while breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worsening of an existing shortness of breath<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\nComplications<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If Dyspnea is not treated in time, it can cause\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hypoxia or hypoxemia, which is low blood oxygen level; this in turn leads to more serious complications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporary or permanent cognitive impairment, that is reduced brain function<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Onset of or worsening of other medical problems<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\nPreventive Care<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not inhale, or avoid chemicals like paint fumes and car exhaust that can irritate your lungs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid extreme temperatures. Exerting yourself in very hot and humid or very cold weather can worsen dyspnea caused by chronic lung diseases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practicing breathing and\/or relaxation techniques to improve your breathing function and strengthen your breathing muscles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/good-living\/smoking-is-injurious-to-health-myths-facts-and-risks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quit smoking<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and if you do not smoke, do not start<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach and maintain a healthy weight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take all your medications for lung and heart conditions on time; else it can lead to poor control over dyspnea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep elevation in mind. When travelling to a hill stations or climbing tall structures, take time to adjust your breathing and avoid exertion until then<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid air-pollution: If you have lung disease, observe air pollution alerts issued on radio, TV and Internet<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><br \/>\nDiagnosis<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To begin with, the physician will understand the sequence of, and triggers for, your shortness of breath.\u00a0 He\/she will also assess yours and your family\u2019s medical history to rule out inherited conditions. Then he\/she will conduct a series of tests:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical exam: This physician will check your temperature and listen to your breathing. A fever could indicate an infection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cardiopulmonary exercise testing: In this test, you will exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike, and then the volume of oxygen taken in and carbon dioxide let out will be measured\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spirometry tests: This measures airflow and the patient\u2019s lung capacity in normal conditions, without exertion. This can pinpoint the type and the extent of dyspnea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulse oximetry: In this test, a finger sensor is used to see how much oxygen you have in your blood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chest X-ray, CT scans or other special imaging tests: These would indicate a deeper cause of breathlessness if you are not already diagnosed with a chronic condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blood tests: These could show anemia, infections and other conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lung function tests: These tests indicate how good is your breathing<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b><br \/>\nTreatment for Shortness of Breath<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The treatment varies according to the condition. After examination of the patient, the doctor will decide the right course of treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shortness of breath- Causes and Symptoms | Tamil\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g-JUsNbgC60\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>This article is available in audio format, click \u201cPlay\u201d button to listen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Shortness of breath - Causes and Symptoms\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?from=embed&amp;i=c7cp5-14542ac-pb&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;rtl=0&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=7&amp;size=150\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.<\/p>\n<p>Chennai \u2013 044 4000 6000 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Cantonment \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Heartcity \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Tennur \u2013 0431 4022555 \u2022 Maa Kauvery Trichy \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Kauvery Cancer Institute, Trichy \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Hosur \u2013 04344 272727 \u2022 Salem \u2013 0427 2677777 \u2022 Tirunelveli &#8211; 0462 4006000 \u2022 Bengaluru &#8211; 080 6801 6801<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Dyspnea (shortness of Breath)? Oxygen is the life-source for all living beings and is supplied to the body through the process of breathing. Intense physical activity demands more<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pulmonology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2639"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9534,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639\/revisions\/9534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}