Dyspnea facts for kids

Dyspnea (pronounced disp-nee-ah) is the medical term for feeling short of breath. It's like when you can't get enough air into your lungs, even if you're not doing anything strenuous. Some studies show that about 27% of people experience this feeling at some point.

What Causes Shortness of Breath?

Many different things can make someone feel short of breath. They can range from simple issues to more serious health conditions.

Lung Problems

Sometimes, the problem is with your lungs themselves.

Blocked Airways

These are conditions where the tubes that carry air to your lungs get narrow or blocked.

• Asthma: Your airways can get inflamed and narrow, making it hard to breathe, especially during an asthma attack.
• Bronchitis: This is when the tubes that carry air to your lungs get swollen and produce a lot of mucus.
• COPD: A long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It often includes conditions like emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• Cystic fibrosis: A genetic disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and other organs.
• Emphysema: A lung condition that damages the air sacs in your lungs, making it harder to get oxygen.
• Swelling in the larynx (voice box) due to allergies: Severe allergic reactions can cause your throat to swell, blocking your airway.

Lung Tissue and Lining Problems

These conditions affect the lung tissue itself or the lining around the lungs.

• Anthrax: A serious infection that can affect the lungs if you breathe in certain bacteria.
• Pneumonia: An infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs of one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid.
• Lung cancer: When abnormal cells grow in the lungs, forming tumors.
• Pleural effusion: When too much fluid builds up in the space around the lungs.
• Pneumothorax: This happens when air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall, causing the lung to collapse.
• ARDS: A severe lung condition where fluid builds up in the tiny air sacs in your lungs, making it hard for oxygen to get into your blood.

Blood Vessel Problems in Lungs

These affect the blood vessels that carry blood to and from your lungs.

• Pulmonary embolism: A sudden blockage in a lung artery, usually caused by a blood clot that traveled from another part of the body.
• Pulmonary hypertension: High blood pressure in the arteries leading to your lungs.

Other Reasons for Trouble Breathing

Blocked Airway

Sometimes, something blocks the path where air enters your body.

• Cancer in the larynx (voice box) or pharynx (throat): Tumors can block the airway.
• Pulmonary aspiration: When food, stomach acid, or other material accidentally goes into your lungs instead of your stomach.
• Epiglottitis: Swelling of the epiglottis, a flap of tissue that covers your windpipe when you swallow. This can block your airway.

Diaphragm Problems

The diaphragm is a muscle under your lungs that helps you breathe. If it can't move well, it can cause shortness of breath.

• Tumors in the diaphragm: Growths can prevent the diaphragm from moving properly.

Chest Volume Restriction

Things that make your chest cavity smaller can also make it harder to breathe.

• Broken ribs: Can make breathing painful and difficult.
• Kyphosis or Scoliosis of the spine: Curves in the spine can reduce the space for your lungs.
• Obesity: Carrying a lot of extra weight can put pressure on your lungs and diaphragm.
• Pregnancy: As a baby grows, it can push up on the diaphragm, making breathing feel harder.

Heart and Blood Problems

Your heart and blood are vital for carrying oxygen. Problems with them can affect your breathing.

• Cardiomyopathy: Diseases of the heart muscle that make it harder for the heart to pump blood.
• Congenital heart disease: Heart problems that people are born with.
• Heart failure: When your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs.
• Ischaemic heart disease: When the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood.
• Pulmonary edema: Fluid buildup in the lungs, often due to heart problems.
• Valvular heart disease: Problems with the valves in your heart that control blood flow.
• Anemia: When your blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen.
• Sepsis: A very serious reaction to an infection that can cause organ damage, including to the lungs.
• Leukemia: A type of cancer that affects blood cells, which can sometimes lead to anemia and breathing issues.

Nerve and Muscle Problems

Some conditions affect the nerves or muscles that control breathing.

• Multiple sclerosis: A disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, which can impact breathing muscles.
• Myasthenia gravis: A condition that causes muscle weakness, including muscles used for breathing.

Feeling Anxious

• Anxiety disorders and panic attacks: Strong feelings of worry or fear can sometimes make you feel like you can't breathe.

Medications

• Some medicines, like certain strong pain relievers, can slow down your breathing.

Other Causes

• Carbon monoxide poisoning: Breathing in too much carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas, can prevent your blood from carrying oxygen properly.

See also

In Spanish: Disnea para niños