If you're having trouble breathing or become out of breath during activities, you may seek information on how to manage your condition. Although it's normal to get a bit out of breath when exerting yourself, there are medical conditions that cause chronic shortness of breath. Understanding what shortness of breath is and having your condition diagnosed properly will help you find the tools to manage your situation.
Identification
Shortness of breath is known as dyspnea, meaning you have difficulty taking a breath. It may be hard, uncomfortable or even painful to breathe. You may experience periods in which you feel you can't take in enough air. You may become short of breath due to activity, smoking, lung conditions--or sometimes this condition occurs with no known cause.
To breathe, you must use your respiratory muscles (your diaphragm and muscles around your lungs). The bones that make up your ribs must be able to move enough to allow the lungs to expand. In addition, lungs contain membranes, lobes, tubes, sacs and fluids. All of the above must be functioning correctly in order for you to breathe with ease. See the picture at the top of this page from the American Lung Association for all of the structures involved in breathing. There are many conditions and diseases that can affect these various structures. The membranes can become filled with fluid, the tubes and sacs can be damaged by disease, and inflammation from irritants or medical conditions and smoking can all lead to problems in the respiratory system. Conditions such as asthma and bronchitis can cause the airways to become restricted and not allow enough air to get through. This is why having your shortness of breath diagnosed properly is so important. Each condition warrants a different treatment plan to fully manage symptoms. Visit the website for the American Lung Association (see References below) for information on all of these conditions and their treatments.
Common Causes
According to the National Institutes of Health, there are many situations that can cause you to become short of breath. If you tend to lead a sedentary life or are overweight, you may run out of breath while walking, climbing stairs and other general activities. This is due to being deconditioned and can be rectified with exercise. Other situations that can cause shortness of breath include a blockage in the nose, mouth or throat; having a cold; anxiety and stress; heart disease; allergies; change in altitude, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) such as asthma, pneumonia, emphysema or bronchitis.
Diagnosis
If you're feeling short of breath, talk with your doctor about having your symptoms evaluated. Through a physical examination and pulmonary function tests or lung function tests, your physician can attempt to understand what's causing you to become out of breath. You may also need to have X-rays, scans and blood tests to understand fully what is causing your breathing difficulty.
