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Shortness of breath can be caused by something as innocent as exercise
to more serious issues like pneumonia, asthma, and even heart failure or
lung cancer. Acute shortness of breath comes on very suddenly, while
chronic shortness of breath means the symptom builds more slowly and can
last a long time. Acute and chronic shortness of breath are very
different entities. “If you develop sudden and severe shortness of
breath, head to the emergency room,” says Norman Edelman, MD, senior
scientific officer of the American Lung Association. “If you have more
progressive shortness of breath that gets worse over weeks and months,
certainly see your doctor.” Definitely get medical help if you have
shortness of breath plus other respiratory symptoms like chest pain or
coughing up blood. Learn the more common reasons for shortness of breath
below so you can get help.
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Asthma
Shortness of breath is one of the hallmark symptoms of asthma, along
with wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. These are caused by
airways which have narrowed, making it harder for air to travel
naturally in and out of your body. There are two main types of asthma:
allergic and non-allergic, each with very different causes and
treatments.
Allergic asthma is triggered by exposure to certain allergens such as
cigarette smoke, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, mold, and even weather
elements. This type of asthma is relatively easy to manage with
medications.
Non-allergic asthma is more mysterious and harder to treat and tends to
strike middle-aged, overweight women, Dr. Edelman explains. It’s not
clear if losing weight helps alleviate non-allergic asthma.
Many people don’t realize you can develop asthma not only in childhood
but also as an adult. In both cases, it tends to be chronic. |
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Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide is a serious hazard that can lurk very close to home.
It’s an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that’s produced by burning
fuels in cars, trucks, fireplaces, furnaces, and grills. If you breathe
it in–say, as it builds up in a small space with no ventilation, like a
closed garage–it takes the place of oxygen in your red blood cells,
which can lead to brain damage or even death. Carbon monoxide poisoning
symptoms can include shortness of breath, confusion, dizziness, and a
minor headache, and it can be both acute and chronic.
“Acute would be a smoke-inhalation-fire scenario,” says Sean Drake, MD,
a general internist with Henry Ford Health System in Sterling Heights,
Michigan. “You also see [carbon monoxide building up] in homes. That can
be more chronic, insidious.”
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to install a carbon
monoxide detector in your home. They look and act a lot like the smoke
alarms you should also have installed, but they measure the
concentration of carbon monoxide in the air. Get your heating system
checked every year, make sure you have good ventilation for all your
appliances, and don’t run your vehicle inside a closed garage. |
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Allergic reactions
Severe allergic reactions–called anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, or
allergic shock–sometimes develop in response to certain allergens. Bee
stings and peanuts are good examples.
Shortness of breath will quickly escalate if the reaction causes your
throat to swell and close off, blocking your air supply. You may also
itch, wheeze, and have vomiting and diarrhea.
The remedy is to get a shot of epinephrine (adrenaline) right away.
People who know they have severe allergies usually carry EpiPens with
them. If you don’t have an EpiPen, or don’t know you have an allergy but
suddenly have any of these symptoms, head to an emergency room or call
911. |
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Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs. There are two types: viral and
bacterial. Shortness of breath is common with viral pneumonia, sometimes
also called walking pneumonia, says Dr. Edelman. This type is also less
severe than bacterial pneumonia and usually clears up in one to three
weeks.
Pneumonia in general causes your airways to swell and the air sacs in
your lungs to fill with mucus, leading to shortness of breath and
fatigue. Bacterial pneumonia can come on suddenly or over a few days and
may also bring on a high fever. Viral pneumonia usually appears over a
few days and can feel a lot like the flu.
Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. Antiviral
medications may help viral pneumonia. There are also vaccines against
Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, which is the most common cause of
bacterial pneumonia, that are recommended for young children, older
adults, and people with certain health conditions. |
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Low blood pressure
Way less common than high blood pressure, low blood pressure can
nevertheless cause health problems, and shortness of breath is one.
Extremely low blood pressure–called hypotension–can also cause dizziness
and even make you faint.
Low blood pressure (usually a reading of 90/60 or lower), can be caused
by dehydration (even from exercising strenuously), infection, pregnancy,
and certain medications and medical conditions.
There are also specific types of low blood pressure. Orthostatic
hypotension, for instance, is when your blood pressure drops suddenly
when you stand up from sitting or lying down. Postprandial hypotension
happens after you eat. Abnormalities in your brain or nervous system can
also cause blood pressure to drop.
Stave off low blood pressure episodes by staying hydrated, eating enough
salt, avoiding alcohol, wearing compression socks, and ruling out any
medical conditions or medications that may be contributing to your
symptoms.
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Heart issues
Your heart and your lungs are closely linked. Anything that decreases
the heart’s ability to pump blood will also make you short of breath,
says Dr. Edelman.
“The general rule is that if your cardiac output is not what it should
be when you exercise, even mild exercise like walking, you will feel
shortness of breath that [may be due to] cardiovascular causes,” he
says.
Heart conditions that can cause shortness of breath include having an
enlarged heart, an abnormal heartbeat, or a heart attack.
Shortness of breath is a common symptom in people with congestive heart
failure.
“In heart failure, the heart is not pumping strong enough and fluids
back up, particularly in the lower extremities, but also in the lungs,”
says Dr. Drake. “It feels as though you’re drowning.”
Talk to your doctor about your symptoms, and seek emergency medical
attention if your shortness of breath comes on suddenly, is severe, and
is accompanied by chest pain or other signs of a heart attack.
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Obesity
Being overweight or obese can aggravate certain types of asthma. “The
heavier you are, the more likely you are to have asthma and more
severe,” says Dr. Edelman.
But being overweight can make breathing hard for anyone, regardless of
whether they have asthma, he adds. “Some of it is mechanical. Pressure
on the chest wall or pressure on the diaphragm from excess fat
compresses the lungs.” Inflammatory hormones secreted by excess body fat
may also constrict the airways, he says.
Shortness of breath is also a symptom of a condition called obesity
hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). This is when inadequate breathing, due
in part to pressure on the chest, lowers oxygen levels while raising
carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Untreated, OHS can lead to heart
trouble and even death.
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