Shortness of breath: what can be and what to do

Shortness of breath is characterized by the difficulty of air reaching the lungs, which can happen due to excessive physical activity, anxiety, nervousness, bronchitis or asthma, in addition to other more serious situations that should be investigated by the doctor.

When shortness of breath arises, sitting down and trying to calm down are the first steps to be taken, but if the feeling of shortness of breath does not improve within half an hour or, if it gets worse, you should go to the emergency room.

Main causes of shortness of breath

Some of the main causes or diseases that can cause shortness of breath include:

1. Stress and anxiety

Emotional causes are the most frequent causes of shortness of breath in healthy people, especially in adolescents and young adults. Thus, in case of anxiety, excess stress or even a panic syndrome crisis, the individual may have difficulty breathing.

What to do: It is important to seek psychological help to be able to deal with problems, without harming your health. In addition to practicing physical activities and having a healthy diet, as well as having a calming tea such as chamomile, or valerian capsules are good options. Check out some tea recipes to soothe.

2. Excessive physical activity

People who are not used to physical activity, may experience shortness of breath when starting any type of activity, but mainly when walking or running, due to lack of physical conditioning. Overweight people are the most affected, but shortness of breath can also occur in people of ideal weight.

What to do: In this case, it is enough to continue practicing physical activity regularly for the heart, the other muscles of the body and the breathing to get used to the physical effort.

3. Pregnancy

Shortness of breath is common after 26 weeks of gestation due to the growth of the belly, which compresses the diaphragm, with less space for the lungs.

What to do: You should sit back, comfortably in a chair, closing your eyes and concentrating on your own breathing, trying to inhale and exhale deeply and slowly. Using pillows and cushions can be a good strategy for better sleep. Check out more causes and find out if shortness of breath harms the baby.

4. Heart problems

Heart disease, such as heart failure, causes shortness of breath when making efforts, such as getting out of bed or climbing stairs. Usually people with this condition report worsening shortness of breath over the duration of the disease and the individual may also experience chest pain, such as angina. Check out more symptoms of heart problems.

What to do: You must follow the treatment indicated by the doctor, which is usually done using medications.

5. Respiratory diseases

The flu and cold, especially when an individual has a lot of phlegm can cause shortness of breath and cough. But certain illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pneumothorax can also cause shortness of breath. Below are the characteristics of the main respiratory diseases that cause this symptom:

• Asthma: shortness of breath starts suddenly, you may feel suffocated or tight in your chest, and signs such as coughing and prolonged exhalation may be present; Bronchitis: shortness of breath is directly related to phlegm in the airways or lungs; COPD: shortness of breath starts very slowly and worsens over the course of days, usually affecting people with bronchitis or emphysema. There is a strong cough with phlegm and prolonged exhalation; Pneumonia: shortness of breath starts gradually and worsens, there is also back or lung pain when breathing, fever and cough; Pneumothorax: shortness of breath starts suddenly and there is also back or lung pain when breathing; Embolism: shortness of breath starts suddenly, especially affecting people who have had recent surgery, who have rested or women who take the pill. Coughing, chest pain and fainting may also occur.

What to do: In case of flu or cold you can take syrups to improve your cough and nasal washes with serum and thus be able to breathe better, in case of more serious illnesses, you must follow the treatment indicated by the doctor, which can be done with the use of medicines and respiratory physiotherapy.

6. Small object in the airways

Shortness of breath starts suddenly, when eating or feeling something in the nose or throat. There is usually a sound when breathing or it may be impossible to speak or cough. Babies and children are the most affected, although it can also happen in bedridden people.

What to do: When the object is in the nose or can be easily removed from the mouth, you can try to remove it very carefully using tweezers. However, it is safer to lay the person on their side to unblock their airways and when it is not possible to identify what is making breathing difficult, you should go to the emergency room.

7. Allergic reaction

In this case, shortness of breath starts suddenly after taking some medicine, eating something that you are allergic to or when being bitten by an insect.

What to do: Many people with severe allergies have an injection of adrenaline to be used in an emergency. If applicable, this must be applied immediately, and the doctor must be notified. When the person does not have this injection or does not know they are allergic or has used something that causes allergy without knowing it, an ambulance should be called or taken to the emergency room immediately.

8. Obesity

Overweight and obesity can also cause shortness of breath when lying or sleeping because weight decreases the lungs' ability to expand during air intake.

What to do: To be able to breathe better, with less effort, you can use pillows or pillows to sleep, trying to stay in a more inclined position, but it is very important to lose weight, being accompanied by a nutritionist. See treatment options for obesity and how not to give up.

9. Neuromuscular diseases

Myasthenia gravis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can also cause a sensation of shortness of breath due to weakness of the breathing muscles.

What to do: Follow the treatment indicated by the doctor, which is done with the use of medications and always keep you informed about the frequency at which shortness of breath appears, because it may be necessary to change the medication, or adjust your dose.

10. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

This is one of the common causes of feeling short of breath at night, during sleep, with difficulty sleeping, which is usually caused by heart problems or respiratory diseases, such as chronic bronchitis or asthma.

What to do: In these cases, a medical consultation is recommended, as it may be necessary to perform some tests to identify the disease and thus start the appropriate treatment.

What to do immediately in case of shortness of breath

In case of shortness of breath, the first step is to remain calm and sit comfortably, closing your eyes so that you can concentrate on your own breathing. After that, you should focus your attention on the entry and exit of air from the lungs, in order to regulate your breathing.

If shortness of breath is being caused by a passing illness like the flu or cold, misting with steam from eucalyptus tea can help to clear the airways, making it easier for air to pass and reducing discomfort.

However, if shortness of breath is caused by diseases such as asthma or bronchitis for example, in this case it may be necessary to use specific remedies to clear the airways, such as Aerolin or Salbutamol for example, as indicated by the doctor.

Necessary exams

Tests are not always necessary to identify the cause of shortness of breath, because some cases are obvious, such as tiredness, obesity, stress, pregnancy or when the person already has asthma, bronchitis or other heart or respiratory disease that has been previously discovered.

But sometimes, tests are necessary, so you may need to have a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, spirometry, blood count, blood glucose, TSH, urea and electrolytes.

What to tell the doctor

Some information that can be useful for the doctor to discover the cause and indicate the necessary treatment are:

• When shortness of breath arose, if it was sudden or gradually worsening; What time of year, and whether a person was out of the country or not; If you did physical activity or any effort before starting this symptom; How often it appears and the moments more difficult; if there are other symptoms at the same time, such as coughing, phlegm, medication use.

It is also very useful for a doctor to know if the sensation of shortness of breath you have is similar to the sensation of effort to breathe, of feeling suffocated or tightness in the chest.