A cough occurs as a reflex response when an irritant, such as mucus, stomach acid or an inhaled irritant stimulates nerves in the respiratory system. Patients describe shortness of breath, the feeling of not getting enough air, as an intense tightening in the chest or a feeling of suffocation, according to MayoClinic.com. Diseases that affect the lungs, the organ responsible for taking in air and exchanging oxygen with the blood, can cause both a cough and shortness of breath.
Asthma
Asthma, a chronic lung disease, affects about 22 million people in the United States, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Many factors contribute to the development of asthma including genetics, environmental factors and infections. Asthma causes the bronchial tubes to become sensitive to certain inhaled substances. The presence of a trigger causes the airways to swell, the muscles surrounding the airways to tighten and mucus production to increase, resulting in a narrowing of the airways. The excess mucus in the airways triggers a cough. The narrow airways restrict the flow of oxygen into the lungs causing shortness of breath.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchial tubes, can occur as a result of an infection or an inhaled irritant. Infectious bronchitis describes bronchitis caused by a viral or bacterial infection and usually occurs during the winter months. Irritant bronchitis occurs after exposure to mineral dust, vegetable dust, cigarette smoke, smog and strong chemical fumes. Symptoms of bronchitis often resemble the common cold including a runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, chills and fever. Bronchitis causes an increase in mucus production leading to a cough--usually the last symptom to subside, according to the Merck Manual. The excess mucus along with the inflammation of the airways affects the amount of oxygen entering the lungs causing wheezing and shortness of breath.
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis describes a condition caused by damage to the airways that causes them to widen. When the bronchial tubes become too wide, they cannot effectively clear out mucus resulting in a buildup of mucus. Bronchiectasis can occur as a result of infections such as whooping cough or chronic bronchitis, but most commonly occurs in patients with cystic fibrosis, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Those with bronchiectasis experience a daily cough triggered by the excess mucus, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Chronic Sinusitis
Sinusitis describes a condition that occurs when the nasal passages, known as the sinuses, become swollen and inflamed. Doctors diagnose sinusitis that lasts for longer than eight weeks as chronic sinusitis, according to MayoClinic.com. The inflammation of the sinuses causes mucus to build-up which can lead to postnasal drip--the leakage of mucus into the back of the throat. Postnasal drip stimulates the cough reflex, resulting in a chronic cough. Inflammation of the sinuses restricts the flow of air into the lungs causing difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
