Dyspnoea is characterized by difficulty reaching the lungs, which can occur from excess physical activity, anxiety, nervousness, bronchitis or asthma, as well as other more serious situations that need to be examined by your doctor.
In case of shortness of air, sitting down and trying to calm down are the first steps to follow, but if the feeling of shortness of air does not improve in half an hour or, if it gets worse, you should go to the ER. .
Some of the main causes or diseases that can cause shortness of breath include:
Emotional causes are the most common causes of dyspnoea in healthy people, especially adolescents and young adults; for example, in cases of anxiety, excessive stress, or panic syndrome, the individual may have difficulty breathing.
What to do: It is important to seek psychological help in order to cope with problems without damaging your health. In addition to practicing physical activities and eating a healthy diet, as well as taking a soothing tea such as chamomile or valerian capsules are good options. See some calming tea recipes.
People who are not used to physical activity may experience shortness of breath at the onset of any type of activity, but mainly when walking or running, due to lack of fitness, overweight people are the most affected, but dyspnoea may also occur. people of ideal weight.
What to do: In this case, it is enough to continue practicing regular physical activity for the heart, other muscles of the body and breathing to get used to physical exertion.
Shortness of breath is common after 26 weeks gestation due to belly growth, which compresses the diaphragm, with less room for the lungs.
What to do: You should sit comfortably in a chair, close your eyes and concentrate on your own breathing, trying to inhale and exhale deeply and slowly. Using pillows and cushions can be a good strategy for better sleep. Discover other causes descúbrelo. si the shortness of air is hurting the baby.
Heart disease, such as heart failure, causes shortness of breath during efforts, such as getting out of bed or climbing stairs. People with this condition usually report worsening shortness of breath during the duration of the disease and the person may also experience chest pains. , as angina. Discover more symptoms of heart problems.
What to do: You should follow the treatment indicated by your doctor, which is usually done with medication.
Influenza and colds, especially when a person has a lot of mucus, can cause shortness of breath and coughing, but certain conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pneumottoxic can also cause shortness of breath. These are the characteristics of the main respiratory diseases that cause this symptom:
What to do: In case of flu or cold you can take syrups to improve your cough and nasal washes with serum so that you can breathe better, in case of more serious diseases, you should follow the treatment indicated by the doctor, which can be done with the use of medication and respiratory physiotherapy.
Shortness of breath starts suddenly when you eat or feel something in your 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 this can also occur in people prostrate in bed.
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 with a couple of pliers; However, it is safer to place the person on their side to unlock their airways. and when it is not possible to identify what makes breathing difficult, you have to go to the emergency room.
In this case, shortness of breath begins suddenly after taking certain medications, after eating something you are allergic to, or after being bitten by an insect.
What to do: Many people with severe allergies receive an adrenaline injection to use in an emergency, if necessary, should be applied immediately and tell the doctor when the person does not receive this injection or does not know that they are allergic. or you’ve used something that unknowingly causes you an allergy, you should call an ambulance or take it immediately to the emergency room.
Overweight and obesity can also cause shortness of breath while lying down or sleeping, as weight decreases the ability of the lungs 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, be accompanied by a nutritionist See treatment options for obesity and how not to give up.
Severe myasthenia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can also cause shortness of breath due to weakness of the respiratory muscles.
What to do: Follow the treatment indicated by your doctor, which is done with the use of medication and always stay informed of how often dyspnoea occurs, as it may be necessary to change medication or adjust your dose.
Dyspnoea is one of the usual causes of dyspnoea at night, during sleep, with difficulty sleeping, 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 certain tests may be needed to identify the disease to initiate appropriate treatment.
In case of shortness of breath, the first step is to stay calm and sit comfortably, closing your eyes so that you can concentrate on your own breathing, after that, you should focus your attention on getting in and out of the air of the lungs, in order to regulate your breathing.
If shortness of breath is caused by a transient illness such as flu or cold, burning with eucalyptus tea vapour can help clear the airways, facilitating air passage and reducing discomfort.
However, if shortness of breath is caused by diseases such as asthma or bronchitis, for example, in these cases it may be necessary to use specific remedies to clear the airways, such as Aerolin or Salbutamol, for example, indicated by your doctor.
Tests are not always necessary to identify the cause of dyspnoea, as some cases are obvious, such as fatigue, obesity, stress, pregnancy, or when the person already has asthma, bronchitis, or other previously discovered heart or respiratory disease.
But sometimes tests are needed, a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, spirometry, blood glucose, TSH, urea, and electrolytes may need to be done.
Some information that may be helpful to your doctor in discovering the cause and indicating the necessary treatment are:
It is also very helpful for a doctor to know if the feeling of shortness of breath is similar to the feeling of effort to breathe, choke or chest oppression.