Shortness of breath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shortness of breath |
|
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Dyspnea, dyspnoea, breathlessness, difficulty (in/of) breathing; respiratory distress |
.jpg) |
|
| Pronunciation |
|
Shortness of breath (often called SOB) is an uncomfortable feeling where you can't breathe well enough. Doctors also call it dyspnea. It's like feeling you're not getting enough air, or that breathing takes too much effort.
It's normal to feel short of breath after a lot of physical activity, like running fast or playing sports. But if you feel this way when you're resting or doing something easy, it could be a sign of a health problem. Many things can cause shortness of breath, like asthma, pneumonia, or heart issues. The best way to help it usually depends on what's causing it.
Contents
What Causes Shortness of Breath?
Shortness of breath usually comes from problems with your heart or lungs. But sometimes, other body systems can be involved too, like your nervous system or blood. There are many possible causes, but some are more common.
Doctors often look at how quickly the shortness of breath started and how long it has lasted.
- Sudden shortness of breath can be from things like a sudden allergic reaction in your throat, a heart attack, or a collapsed lung.
- Shortness of breath that starts slowly and gets worse over time might be from conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
- Shortness of breath that comes and goes might be a sign of asthma, especially if it's triggered by things like infections or allergies.
Heart Problems
Problems with your heart can make you feel short of breath because your heart isn't pumping blood as well as it should.
Heart Attack
A heart attack often causes chest pain and trouble breathing. Sometimes, shortness of breath can be the only symptom. Things like being older, smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes can increase your risk. Doctors use tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart.
Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure often causes shortness of breath when you exercise. It can also make it hard to breathe when you lie down flat, or wake you up at night feeling breathless. This condition affects many older adults. Eating too much salt or not taking your medicine can make it worse.
Lung Problems
Many lung conditions can lead to shortness of breath because they affect how air gets into and out of your lungs.
COVID-19
If someone has COVID-19, they might have a fever, cough, and lose their sense of smell or taste. In more serious cases, they can also experience shortness of breath.
COPD
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), like emphysema or chronic bronchitis, often have long-lasting shortness of breath and a cough that produces mucus. If their symptoms suddenly get worse, it's called an "acute exacerbation." COPD also increases the risk of getting pneumonia.
Asthma
Asthma is a very common lung disease. It's often why people go to the emergency room for shortness of breath. Other signs of asthma include wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, and a dry cough. For quick relief, people use special inhalers.
Collapsed Lung
A pneumothorax (collapsed lung) usually causes sudden chest pain and shortness of breath that doesn't get better with oxygen. It happens when air leaks into the space around the lung, making it collapse.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs. Its symptoms include fever, a cough with mucus, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Doctors often use a chest X-ray to diagnose it. Since it's usually caused by bacteria, antibiotics are often used for treatment.
Pulmonary Embolism
A pulmonary embolism is a serious condition where a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs. It typically causes sudden shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include chest pain, cough, or fever. It's very important to check for this condition because it can be dangerous.
Other Causes
Shortness of breath can also be caused by other conditions not directly related to the heart or lungs.
Anemia
Anemia means you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. If it develops slowly, it can cause shortness of breath when you exercise, tiredness, and weakness. In women, heavy periods can sometimes lead to anemia and shortness of breath.
Cancer
Many people with cancer experience shortness of breath. This can happen for different reasons. For those with advanced cancer, it can be a continuous feeling or come in severe episodes.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can cause you to breathe very fast (hyperventilate), sweat, and feel tingling or numbness. While they can feel very scary, they are not usually a sign of a physical problem with your lungs or heart.
Pregnancy
About two-thirds of women experience some shortness of breath as a normal part of pregnancy.
Other Conditions
Other causes can include severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), certain nerve or muscle problems like Guillain–Barré syndrome, or conditions that affect the vocal cords.
How Doctors Find the Cause
When you go to the doctor for shortness of breath, they will first check your breathing and circulation. They will ask about your health history and do a physical exam.
Doctors might use a scale to measure how severe your shortness of breath is. For example, the MRC breathlessness scale has five grades, from no shortness of breath except with hard exercise to feeling breathless with very little activity.
Tests Doctors Use
- Blood Tests: Some blood tests can help. For example, a D-dimer test can help rule out a pulmonary embolism in some cases. Another test called BNP can help check for heart failure.
- Imaging: A chest x-ray can show if you have a collapsed lung, fluid in your lungs, or pneumonia. For a pulmonary embolism, doctors might use a special CT scan.
How to Treat Shortness of Breath
The main way to treat shortness of breath is to fix the problem that's causing it. If you're not getting enough oxygen, doctors might give you extra oxygen.
Physical Therapy and Support
- Physical Therapy: If weak muscles cause breathing problems, physical therapists can teach you exercises and techniques to help you breathe better and cough more effectively.
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation: This program can help people with lung conditions like COPD feel better, even if it doesn't cure the disease itself.
- Fan Therapy: Sometimes, simply having a fan blow cool air on your face can help relieve shortness of breath. It's thought to stimulate nerves that make you feel better.
Other Ways to Help
- Relaxation: Learning relaxation techniques can help manage the feeling of breathlessness, especially if anxiety is involved.
- Pacing: Learning to pace yourself and save energy can also be helpful.
- Education: Understanding your condition and how to manage it is very important.
- Talking to a Professional: If anxiety or depression are making your breathing worse, talking to a counselor or therapist can help.
Medications
For severe or long-lasting shortness of breath, doctors might combine other treatments with medication. For people with cancer, certain medications like benzodiazepines or steroids might be suggested, but doctors carefully weigh the benefits against possible side effects.
How Common is Shortness of Breath?
Shortness of breath is a common reason why people go to the emergency room. In the United States, about 3.5% of people who visit the emergency department are there because of shortness of breath. Many of these people need to be admitted to the hospital. It's also very common in people who are seriously ill or nearing the end of their lives.
What Does Dyspnea Mean?
The word "dyspnea" comes from ancient Greek. It means "disordered breathing." You might recognize parts of the word from other medical terms, like "dysfunction" (meaning something isn't working right) or "apnea" (meaning not breathing).
See also
- List of terms of lung size and activity
- Bronchospasm
- Orthopnea
Images for kids
-
A person experiencing shortness of breath.
