Severe cough and difficulty breathing: causes and treatment of pathologies

A severe cough causes numerous inconveniences, so every sane person wants to get rid of the unpleasant symptom as quickly as possible.

Quite often, inflammation in the respiratory system is accompanied by itching, burning and irritation of the throat. The attacks involve severe pain in the chest and lungs, which causes difficulty breathing.

In addition, patients often complain that they stop breathing altogether.

Only a qualified doctor can alleviate suffering at such a moment. To determine further treatment, the patient should undergo a detailed diagnosis. It will help to establish the true causes of inflammation, on the basis of which the patient will be prescribed the necessary medications.

Causes of cough and difficulty breathing

Attacks of dry and unproductive cough do not occur as an independent symptom. The cause of these symptoms lies in viral, infectious or bacterial inflammation of the respiratory system. Often a debilitating cough is accompanied by severe wheezing in the throat and pain in the chest.

Why it hurts in the lungs and how to treat a cough in this case is described in this material.

If discomfort is accompanied by breathing problems, the patient must urgently seek medical help . Otherwise, there is a risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis, acute or chronic bronchitis and other, but no less dangerous diseases.

Attacks of shortness of breath and breathing problems occur as the first symptom of bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and other inflammations. As a rule, at this time the patient is tormented by a non-productive process.

It is extremely rare to experience a wet cough, which is accompanied by an outflow of sputum due to viral or infectious inflammation. Most often, the cause of the pathology lies in bacterial proliferation in the mucous membrane.

Let's determine why a cough is accompanied by breathing problems.

Acute bronchitis

The main reason for holding your breath when coughing is acute bronchitis. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchi or bronchial tree is accompanied by severe pain , an unproductive process and other symptoms. Most often, patients complain of the following symptoms:

• weakness, fatigue, feeling of weakness, fatigue;
• a sharp increase in body temperature;
• acute rhinitis;
• increasing the functioning of the sweat glands;
• frequent headaches.

In addition, patients note the formation of shortness of breath . The appearance of such a symptom indicates a severe course of the disease.

Hypothermia , infectious inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, and decreased immune system predispose to the formation of the disease . In addition, a common cause of bronchitis is smoking.

Acute bronchitis can be an independent disease, but it usually occurs against the background of the development of an acute respiratory disease. In order not to complicate the pathology, bronchitis should be treated using a comprehensive approach. Otherwise, there is a risk of the acute form transitioning to the chronic stage.

The main sign of the development of acute bronchitis in adults and children is the formation of a painful cough . It occurs as a defensive reaction to a certain irritant that causes inflammation in the respiratory tract. At first, the cough is dry and unproductive, but after a few days it changes into a wet form.

How to treat cough due to acute bronchitis in adults can be found here.

Laryngitis

A person may begin to choke from coughing due to laryngitis. Inflammation of the larynx most often occurs as a consequence of the development of a cold or infection of the respiratory tract . In addition, the reason for the formation of laryngitis lies in measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough.

The development of the disease occurs due to long walks in the cold season, frequent breathing through the mouth, excessively dusty air, as well as smoking and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages . In addition, inflammation of the larynx is accompanied by overstrain of this area. Singers and teachers are at risk.

The main sign of inflammation is cough . It occurs as a natural reaction of the immune system, during which the body tries to eliminate inflammation and restore patency of the airways.

For reference! Symptoms of laryngitis in children are the same as in adults, but in most cases they are more pronounced and acute.

At this time, active production of mucus or sputum occurs, which can clog the airways. If the treatment rules are violated, a wet cough will not provide relief, but will only provoke the development of the disease.

Pharyngitis

Often, coughing disrupts breathing and makes every breath painful. Most often, such symptoms occur with pharyngitis . Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the back wall of the pharynx is accompanied by a number of symptoms, but most often patients complain of severe breathing difficulties.

Most often, an acute pathological process is diagnosed, but in the absence of proper treatment and progression of the disease, there is a risk of developing a chronic form of the disease. Usually pharyngitis is viral in nature, but bacterial reproduction is also possible.

Pharyngitis can manifest itself in different ways, but most often patients note pain when coughing, as well as a strong increase in body temperature, chills, fever, lethargy, and drowsiness. But the main symptom that allows one to diagnose inflammation is severe breathing difficulties. Patients characterize this symptom as the inability to maintain breathing through the nose and mouth.

Lack of treatment for pharyngitis can lead to the development of dangerous complications, including lung abscess, rheumatism of the heart and joints.

How to get rid of a cough due to pharyngitis is described in this material.

Bronchial asthma

Coughing with heavy breathing is a sure symptom of the development of bronchial asthma. A dangerous chronic non-infectious disease of the respiratory tract can cause severe symptoms. Typically, patients complain of pain in the lungs, wheezing in the throat, itching and burning in the throat.

Chronic inflammatory processes occur upon contact with various irritants or allergens. They can be pet hair, flowers, dust, dirt, perfume, cosmetics.

During the development of asthma, there is an almost immediate disruption of the bronchi, which leads to limited penetration of air flow. This process causes suffocation. Previously, patients note short and sharp inhalations , as well as noisy exhalations, accompanied by a strong cough.

How to treat the cough form of asthma is written here.

If the disease is not treated, there is a risk of developing dangerous consequences, including emphysema.

Tuberculosis

Heavy breathing can occur with tuberculosis. An infectious disease of a bacterial nature is considered a dangerous disease and requires immediate treatment. Most often, inflammation is diagnosed in people with low immunity, as well as with poor nutrition.

Inflammation can occur against the backdrop of an unfavorable environment where there is no support for sanitary and hygienic standards. The development of the disease is greatly influenced by the patient’s quality of life. It is quite difficult to identify the age and risk group, since anyone can get tuberculosis, regardless of lifestyle.

In the absence of drug treatment for the bacterial etiology of the disease, the risk of death is high . Therefore, at the first attacks of coughing and difficulty in breathing, seek qualified help.

Treatment

If a patient complains of difficulty breathing and a severe cough, the first step is to undergo an examination in the office of an ENT doctor. After which, the specialist will answer the main question, what to do if it’s hard to breathe when you cough.

For viral, infectious or bacterial etymology, the following drug treatment is prescribed:

1. Bacterial development and reproduction in the respiratory system should be stopped with the help of broad-spectrum drugs - Sumamed, Macropen, Erythromycin.
2. If the patient has difficulty breathing, and a dry cough has developed against the background of viral inflammation , the patient is prescribed the following treatment - “Arbidol”, “Arpeflu”, “Arbivir”, “Immusstat”, “Amiksin”, “Lavomax”.
3. Natural remedies such as Gedelix and Prospan will help stop migration and transform dry cough into a productive form Such drugs are prescribed for the treatment of children. For adults, stronger medications of synthetic origin are suitable - Lazolvan, Ambroxol.
4. To restore breathing, it is necessary to increase the lumen in the bronchi. To do this, use drugs such as Budesonide, Flunisolide, Beclomethasone, Volmax, Salmeterol. In addition to the main effect, medications of this group will reduce the development of the inflammatory process.
5. With a debilitating cough, you need drugs that can suppress the cough reflex . For this, the following drugs are prescribed - “Sinekod”, “Bronholitin”, “Tussin”.
6. To restore functions in the mucous part of the bronchi and lungs, use drugs such as Travisil, Codelac Broncho, Doctor Mom, Amtersol, Doctor Theiss, Gerbion, Linkas.

Conclusion

Cough with heavy breathing requires urgent medical treatment. You should not hope that the inflammation will go away on its own or with the help of only traditional methods of treatment. Remember that attacks can be complicated by many symptoms that will only worsen the patient’s condition.

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Why is it hard to breathe, cough and lack air: possible causes and treatment

When a person has a cough, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath, he should consult a doctor. He will determine the exact cause and prescribe the correct treatment.

In most cases, such symptoms are a sign of infectious or viral diseases of the respiratory tract, but it happens that they are caused by more serious pathologies.

The sensations can be different - from the desire to breathe in more air to acute pain. Environmental factors aggravate cough and breathing problems.

Causes of cough with difficulty breathing

If a person has difficulty breathing, a cough appears, and the breath begins to catch, perhaps this is a sign of acute respiratory diseases or more serious pathologies. Breathing problems due to coughing occur due to the following reasons:

• bacteria or viruses enter the mucous membranes of the respiratory system;
• the amount of mucus that constricts the bronchi increases;
• due to infection, spasms and swelling of the bronchi occur.

Inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract

When a dry cough appears and it’s hard to breathe, this often indicates a bacterial or viral infection of the respiratory system:

• Acute bronchitis. Severe pain occurs due to inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. The acute form begins suddenly and is accompanied by a dry cough that presses on the chest, shortness of breath after attacks and minimal physical activity, and general malaise (fever, weakness, headache). As the disease progresses, a cough with white or green sputum appears.

Source: https://lkray-promo.ru/kashel/kashel-i-tyazhelo-dyshat-eto-priznak/

Cough shortness of breath weakness causes

Each abnormal manifestation of the body has its own special reasons. So, for example, for shortness of breath it is:

• chronic and acute diseases of the respiratory system, such as: bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and others;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• quite often mental illnesses - reactive psychosis, claustrophobia, sepsis, gangrene and many others, can occur even in a child;
• external factors. For example, these could be drugs, smoking and even allergic diseases;
• Old age can also cause shortness of breath and coughing during walking and any active work.

As for smoking and drugs, such causes are most common among young people and minor children. Sometimes even parents do not know why their child develops shortness of breath and cough.

As for treatment in this case, we will talk exclusively about auxiliary drugs that act directly on the cause itself.

In this case, cough and shortness of breath themselves are not treated, since the very causes of their occurrence need to be removed. And only a doctor can figure this out.

Thrombembolism of the pulmonary arteries - often occurs against the background of varicose veins or thrombophlebitis, which occurs with increased blood clotting. Blockage of the pulmonary vessels is accompanied by severe bronchospasm. Often this condition occurs in the postoperative period, in paralyzed bedridden patients, and even during air travel.

If the disease causing shortness of breath is identified, it must be treated in accordance with all recommendations of the attending physician. The following will also help ease your breathing:

• Complete cessation of cigarettes, exclusion of passive smoking.
• Ventilation of premises and regular cleaning (elimination of dust).
• Exclusion from the diet of allergenic foods that contribute to the occurrence of bronchial asthma and asthmatic bronchitis.
• Good nutrition - prevention of anemia.
• Breathing exercises - take a deep breath through the nose and exhale through the mouth, accompanied by drawing in the abdomen.
• If the cause of difficulty breathing has not been established, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination. If shortness of breath develops rapidly, an urgent call to emergency assistance is required, and if breathing stops, artificial respiration must be used until doctors arrive.
• Shortness of breath in bronchial asthma is eliminated with drugs that eliminate bronchospasm - Salbutamol, Fenoterol, Saltos, Eufillin.
• The fastest results are achieved by using aerosols or injections of the drug. IM or IV injections are performed by a doctor!

Treatment of shortness of breath begins with identifying the cause of its occurrence. Breathing problems can only be eliminated with effective treatment of the underlying disease.

Since shortness of breath can be caused by various diseases, a person should initially consult a physician. Subsequently, the patient can be referred for consultation to specialized specialists: a cardiologist, pulmonologist, endocrinologist, neurologist.

One of the main complaints most often voiced by patients is shortness of breath. This subjective feeling forces the patient to go to the clinic, call an ambulance, and may even be an indication for emergency hospitalization. So what is shortness of breath and what are the main reasons that cause it? You will find answers to these questions in this article. So…

The main causes of shortness of breath can be divided into 4 groups:

1. Respiratory failure caused by:
   • violation of bronchial obstruction;
   • diffuse diseases of the tissue (parenchyma) of the lungs;
   • pulmonary vascular diseases;
   • diseases of the respiratory muscles or chest.
2. Heart failure.
3. Hyperventilation syndrome (with neurocirculatory dystonia and neuroses).
4. Metabolic disorders.

Persons suffering from one of the main complaints note shortness of breath. In the early stages of the disease, shortness of breath is perceived by patients as a feeling of lack of air during physical activity, but over time this feeling is caused by less and less exercise; in advanced stages it does not leave the patient even at rest.

Persons suffering from diseases such as obesity and diabetes mellitus also often complain of shortness of breath.

With thyrotoxicosis, a condition characterized by excessive production of thyroid hormones, all metabolic processes in the body sharply increase - at the same time, it experiences an increased need for oxygen.

In addition, an excess of hormones causes an increase in the number of heart contractions, as a result of which the heart loses the ability to fully pump blood to tissues and organs - they experience a lack of oxygen, which the body tries to compensate for, and shortness of breath occurs.

Excessive amounts of adipose tissue in the body during obesity impede the functioning of the respiratory muscles, heart, and lungs, as a result of which tissues and organs do not receive enough blood and lack oxygen.

With diabetes, sooner or later the vascular system of the body is affected, as a result of which all organs are in a state of chronic oxygen starvation. In addition, over time, the kidneys are also affected - diabetic nephropathy develops, which in turn provokes anemia, as a result of which hypoxia intensifies even more.

The respiratory rate of children of different ages is different. Dyspnea should be suspected if:

• in a child 0–6 months, the number of respiratory movements (RR) is more than 60 per minute;
• in a child 6–12 months of age, the respiratory rate is over 50 per minute;
• in a child over 1 year of age, the respiratory rate is over 40 per minute;
• in a child over 5 years of age, the respiratory rate is over 25 per minute;
• in a child 10–14 years old, the respiratory rate is over 20 per minute.

During emotional arousal, during physical activity, crying, and feeding, the respiratory rate is always higher, but if the respiratory rate is significantly higher than normal and slowly recovers at rest, you should inform your pediatrician about this.

Most often, shortness of breath in children occurs under the following pathological conditions:

• respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn (often recorded in premature babies whose mothers suffer from diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, diseases of the genital area; it is facilitated by intrauterine hypoxia, asphyxia; clinically manifested by shortness of breath with a respiratory rate over 60 per minute, a blue tint of the skin and their pallor, chest rigidity is also noted; treatment must begin as early as possible - the most modern method is the introduction of pulmonary surfactant into the trachea of ​​the newborn in the first minutes of his life);

Source: https://biglionz.ru/kashel-odyshka-slabost-prichiny/

How to treat cough and difficulty breathing

The importance of breathing for the body is difficult to underestimate. But a person does not think about the complexity of the physiological processes that ensure life activity until one of them fails. Cough and shortness of breath not only reduce physical performance, their occurrence can result in a catastrophe for brain tissue and other vital organs of the human body.

What is shortness of breath

Shortness of breath, called dyspnea by doctors, is a peculiar reaction of the biological system to insufficient oxygen levels in the blood or tissues. The depth and uniformity of breathing changes under the influence of the respiratory center located in the brain. The organ receives information about the carbon-oxygen balance from neurons distributed at different levels of the central nervous system.

In healthy people, a feeling of shortness of breath sometimes occurs during increased physical activity, climbing steep stairs, during sports activities, or strong emotional arousal. In such cases, the atypical phenomenon does not cause noticeable discomfort and passes quickly.

Anemia causes a decrease in the number of red blood cells (blood cells) or a key protein (hemoglobin) that transports oxygen.

Physical activity is often accompanied by a subjective feeling of heartbeat, shortness of breath, and tachycardia.

Cough and shortness of breath in an adult may indicate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. At first, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe, then a wet cough appears. Patients with the development of COPD of the bronchitis type are called “blue edema”, and those with the emphysematous type are called “pink puffers”. The appearance of the patients prompts unflattering comparisons.

Important! The fastest and most affordable way to determine the quality of breathing is a spirometric test.

Laryngitis and false croup

Sometimes in children, laryngitis is associated with false croup - a strong narrowing of the larynx. After 2–3 days from the onset of the infectious disease, the voice becomes hoarse, and with noisy inhalation, shortness of breath appears with a barking cough. In children, dry wheezing is heard, due to oxygen starvation, the nasolabial triangle turns blue, and sleep is disturbed.

Pulmonary dyspnea

The development of pulmonary dyspnea is facilitated by a decrease and change in the properties of the lung tissue, a disorder of bronchial obstruction, and a disturbance in the movement of gases in the alveoli. To compensate for lost functions, the body strengthens the work of the respiratory muscles, which leads to rapid shallow breathing. The nature of shortness of breath depends on the degree of blockage of the respiratory organs and swelling of the mucous membrane.

Cardiac type dyspnea

• For pulmonary shortness of breath, treatment should begin with medications that reduce the load on the respiratory system.

Among the causes of cough and shortness of breath in adults, doctors primarily highlight smoking. Moreover, passive smokers suffer no less than active smokers.

The following are also automatically at risk:

• residents of large cities with unfavorable environmental conditions;
• workers of enterprises and industries with large accumulations of dust;
• people who are overweight and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

All these circumstances lead to rapid aging and wear and tear of the respiratory system. By eliminating the harmful factor, a person gets rid of a potential threat. A healthy lifestyle has been and remains the best preventative measure.

First aid

There are several ways to help alleviate the patient's condition with severe shortness of breath.

To do this you need:

• provide an influx of fresh air by opening a window or vent;
• humidify the air in the room, in the absence of special devices, hang well-moistened towels or sheets on heating radiators and other places;
• give the “sufferer” warm milk, tea, fruit juice;
• fill the bathtub (basin) with hot water, add soda or any pine oil to it, let the patient breathe in the healing steam;
• at normal temperatures, keep your hands and feet in baths with warm water.

Important! If you have extreme difficulty breathing, you should urgently call an ambulance.

Which doctor should I contact?

The habit of sending patients to general practitioners – general practitioners – has become a standard cliché for budget medicine. This option will also work as an initial examination to determine the clinical specifics. But after collecting the necessary anamnestic information, it is better to visit a specialist:

Conclusion

Late-diagnosed diseases of the respiratory system tend to cause severe complications, including patient disability and death. Sometimes pathological changes in the body are asymptomatic. Therefore, even healthy people should not neglect annual medical examination and screening examination of the chest - fluorography.

source

Why is it hard to breathe, cough and lack air: possible causes and treatment

When a person has a cough, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath, he should consult a doctor. He will determine the exact cause and prescribe the correct treatment.

In most cases, such symptoms are a sign of infectious or viral diseases of the respiratory tract, but it happens that they are caused by more serious pathologies.

The sensations can be different - from the desire to breathe in more air to acute pain. Environmental factors aggravate cough and breathing problems.

  Cough wheezing in the sternum area

Causes of cough with difficulty breathing

If a person has difficulty breathing, a cough appears, and the breath begins to catch, perhaps this is a sign of acute respiratory diseases or more serious pathologies. Breathing problems due to coughing occur due to the following reasons:

• bacteria or viruses enter the mucous membranes of the respiratory system;
• the amount of mucus that constricts the bronchi increases;
• due to infection, spasms and swelling of the bronchi occur.

When a dry cough appears and it’s hard to breathe, this often indicates a bacterial or viral infection of the respiratory system:

• Acute bronchitis. Severe pain occurs due to inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. The acute form begins suddenly and is accompanied by a dry cough that presses on the chest, shortness of breath after attacks and minimal physical activity, and general malaise (fever, weakness, headache). As the disease progresses, a cough with white or green sputum appears.

Source: https://ckiom.ru/kashel/kashel-i-zatrudnenne-dyhanie-chem-lechit/

Why did you feel short of breath, how to alleviate the condition

The feeling of lack of air occurs when there is insufficient oxygen supply to the body or a decrease in its content in the blood. All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into:

• Heartfelt. Occur when the functioning of the ventricles of the heart weakens.
• Pulmonary. Associated with impaired gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue.
• For diseases of the nervous system. Occurs with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata.
• When the spinal cord is damaged, the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted.
• Psychogenic origin. Occurs in patients with neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, excessive anxiety, and stress.
• Hematologic. Often accompanied by anemia.
• Other factors. They can occur during pregnancy, obesity, accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity, damage to the chest, penetration of air into it, accumulation of blood or effusion, and deformation of the spine.

If there is only a feeling of difficulty breathing during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical training, forced or conscious physical inactivity. This also includes shortness of breath in high mountain areas and stuffy rooms. In some cases, the cause of sudden breathing problems is injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi.

Additional symptoms should alert you: unilateral chest pain, an acute attack of shortness of breath and pain with a decrease in blood pressure, difficulty exhaling, wheezing, high body temperature, copious sputum with pus, pink discharge, shortness of breath against a background of severe muscle weakness, dizziness.

If the cause of the attack is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or bed in a semi-sitting position, the belt should be relaxed, the collar should be unfastened and fresh air should be allowed to flow freely. You cannot take any medications on your own; you need to call an ambulance.

If the patient has been sick for a long time, then it is necessary to give proven medications and then consult a doctor again. In all doubtful cases or against the background of severe weakness, it is better to call an ambulance.

Relaxing breathing techniques help in stressful situations. For shortness of breath with cough due to colds or inflammatory diseases - hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.

The doctor may prescribe: oxygen inhalations, antibacterial agents, drugs to dilate the bronchi and thin the sputum, chest massage, physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic exercises to improve the cleansing of the respiratory tract, and others.

Read more about the causes of shortness of breath and treatment of the condition in our article.

Causes of feeling short of breath

The lungs and heart are responsible for the supply of oxygen to the body; their work is controlled by the central and autonomic nervous systems.

The direct delivery of this most important element of energy production is carried out by red blood cells - erythrocytes. Therefore, if there is a malfunction in any of the links in this chain, the body tries to compensate for oxygen starvation.

The reaction to deepening and/or increased breathing is subjectively perceived as a feeling of lack of air.

All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into cardiac, pulmonary, neurogenic, hematological . In addition to these main groups, there are also changes in the respiratory muscles, pathologies associated with poisoning and other, rarer factors.

Heartfelt

Circulatory failure occurs when the ventricular myocardium weakens. The outflow of blood from the lung tissue is disrupted, stagnation processes develop, and gas exchange decreases.

The appearance of shortness of breath may be the first sign of heart disease. At first it occurs during physical stress, and as it progresses, it occurs at rest. Breathing becomes frequent and shallow; in the future, coughing and night attacks of suffocation may occur.

The reasons for the gradual increase in lack of air in chronic circulatory failure are:

• coronary heart disease – angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, post-infarction cardiosclerosis;
• heart defects;
• cardiomyopathy, including diseases of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, menopause;
• hypertension, especially during a crisis;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• use of cardiotoxic drugs (hormones, antitumor drugs, increasing blood pressure);
• rheumatism, myocarditis, endocarditis, pericarditis;
• massive administration of infusion solutions.

Scheme of development of angina pectoris

Acute heart failure with an attack of sudden lack of air can occur during chronic decompensation or can result from:

• intracardiac thrombus formation;
• blocking blood flow by a heart tumor;
• complications of heart attack;
• rupture of aortic aneurysm;
• severe infections, sepsis;
• extensive stroke;
• poisoning;
• operations, injuries.

Pulmonary

Respiratory failure is associated with impaired gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue. Exhalation is usually difficult - expiratory shortness of breath or appears mixed with cardiopulmonary decompensation. Uncomfortable breathing may be accompanied by:

• acute pneumonia;
• acute and chronic bronchitis, including bronchitis of smokers;
• bronchial asthma;
• high pressure in the pulmonary artery system due to its blockage by blood clots (pulmonary thromboembolism) with heart defects, HIV infection, autoimmune diseases;
• bronchiectasis (deformation of the bronchi);
• tumor processes in the lungs;
• entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract;
• compaction of lung tissue (pneumosclerosis);
• tuberculosis;
• pleurisy;
• the appearance of adhesions after suffering inflammation of the chest cavity.

Pulmonary thromboembolism

For diseases of the nervous system

Dysregulation of the lungs and heart occurs with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata, where the respiratory and vasomotor centers are located. The feeling of lack of air also occurs with:

• tumors and edema of the brain;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• administration of anesthesia;
• carbon dioxide poisoning;
• accumulation of acids in the blood during acidosis.

When the spinal cord is damaged, the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted, which also causes shortness of breath. Its weakening (neuromuscular respiratory failure) occurs with injuries, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), poliomyelitis, myopathy, potassium deficiency, botulism.

A fairly common condition is a feeling of lack of air of psychogenic origin. It occurs in patients with neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, with excessive anxiety and stress. Rapid and shallow breathing (hyperventilation) during a panic attack can be especially difficult.

Hematological

Shortness of breath often accompanies anemia. A decrease in the content of hemoglobin and red blood cells causes oxygen starvation of tissues, which leads to a compensatory reaction of increased breathing. The causes of this condition may be:

• deficiency of iron and vitamins in the diet;
• destruction of red blood cells under the influence of toxic compounds and inflammatory, autoimmune processes;
• infections;
• malignant diseases of the hematopoietic organs.

Changes in blood composition also occur in diseases of the kidneys, liver, severe diabetes, poisoning with denatured alcohol, and salicylates. In such cases, acidification of the blood occurs, causing increased breathing to compensate for the disturbance.

Watch the video about feeling short of breath:

Other factors

A high position of the diaphragm reduces the amplitude of its movements and interferes with the filling of the lungs. This may occur during pregnancy, obesity, or accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity. Shortness of breath also appears when there is damage to the chest, air penetration into it, accumulation of blood or effusion, or spinal deformation.

We recommend reading the article about VSD and panic attacks. From it you will learn about what VSD is, why panic attacks occur during VSD, diagnostic methods, how to get rid of VSD and panic attacks.

And here is more information about sympathoadrenal crisis.

If other symptoms are added

If the patient only has a feeling of difficulty breathing during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical training, forced or conscious physical inactivity.

Physiological reasons may also include shortness of breath in high mountain areas and stuffy rooms.

When other clinical manifestations appear, a feeling of shortness of breath may be the first symptom of serious diseases.

Sudden shortness of breath

In some cases, the cause of sudden breathing problems is injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi. In other, less obvious situations, you need to pay attention to additional symptoms:

• unilateral chest pain occurs with pneumothorax (air penetration), collapse of a lung lobe due to compression by blood and fluid. If it intensifies with movement, coughing or breathing, it is a sign of pleurisy, severe pneumonia;
• Acute attack of shortness of breath; acute attack of shortness of breath and pain with a decrease in blood pressure - pulmonary thromboembolism;
• difficulty in exhaling and wheezing – an attack of bronchial asthma;
• it is difficult to take a breath, pain in the heart in hypertensive patients or patients with angina pectoris - cardiac asthma;
• high body temperature, pain when breathing, sputum production - pneumonia;
• wheezing, cough in a smoker - exacerbation of chronic bronchitis;
• abundant sputum with pus occurs with bronchiectasis, and moderate discharge occurs with chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and pneumonia, pink appears with pulmonary edema, sometimes with cancer;
• shortness of breath due to severe muscle weakness - myasthenia gravis of pregnancy, spinal cord disease.

Cough

Depending on the frequency of the cough reflex and difficulty breathing, the presence of diseases can be assumed:

• permanent - occurs with chronic inflammation of the pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi, as well as stagnation of blood in the lungs with heart failure. When inhaling dusty air, infections, changes in temperature and humidity, symptoms intensify;
• occur periodically - smoking, alcoholism, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchial asthma, acute colds;
• single attacks of severe coughing and breathing problems - smoke inhalation, penetration of a foreign body into the bronchi, allergies.

Chest pain and fear

The appearance of shortness of breath, a feeling of compression of the chest, and sometimes the neck may be the first or even the only signs of unstable angina or myocardial infarction.

In more typical cases, they are combined with attacks of substernal pain, which radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, and lower jaw.

Often, when a heart attack occurs, patients feel anxiety, agitation, and fear of death.

Dizziness

Shortness of breath with general weakness and dizziness, pale skin occurs with low blood pressure and anemia. Similar symptoms may accompany the following diseases:

• bradycardia;
• reduced myocardial conductivity;
• sick sinus syndrome;
• narrowing of the pulmonary artery, aorta;
• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
• heart failure;
• cerebrovascular accident;
• vascular collapse;
• state of shock due to an attack of pain, rhythm disturbances

Heartbeat

The classic manifestations of heart failure are shortness of breath and tachycardia. They are diagnosed at all stages of this complication of heart disease. Initially, they appear during physical stress, which exceeds the individual reserves of compensation, and then during the patient’s normal activity, with a further increase - at rest.

Accompanied by the appearance of cyanosis, cough, swelling in the legs, enlarged liver, and congestive processes in the internal organs.

Feeling of lack of air in the throat

Shortness of breath during physical activity or at rest, which becomes stronger with excitement and stress, a feeling of a lump in the throat can be signs of neurosis, a disruption of the autonomic nervous system. Patients do not tolerate stuffiness well, ventilate the room all the time, and complain of dissatisfaction with breathing. Sometimes a cough or sore throat may occur.

These symptoms are based on spastic processes in the muscles and excessive fixation on one’s sensations. A characteristic feature that distinguishes lack of air in neurotic disorders is the abundance of symptoms. Patients colorfully describe their complaints against the background of a generally satisfactory condition.

Watch the video about lack of air (hyperventilation syndrome):

Causes of suffocation at night

In severe cases of heart failure, attacks of suffocation occur when lying down, especially at night. They develop due to excessive blood flow to the chest cavity.

This increases the filling of the venous and capillary vessels, which reduces the capacity of the lung tissue.

An additional factor leading to congestion of the vascular system is the redistribution of edema in a horizontal position.

Sudden shortness of breath causes sudden awakening and the need to sit up to ease breathing. Night attacks can also occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, bronchial asthma, pericardial effusion or paralysis of the diaphragmatic muscle.

How to help yourself if it suddenly arises

If the cause of the attack of shortness of breath is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or given a semi-sitting position in bed using high pillows.

You should loosen your belt, unfasten your collar and ensure a free flow of fresh air. You should immediately seek medical help.

Self-administration of medications in this case may aggravate circulatory or respiratory problems.

In stressful situations or excessive physical stress, the relaxation breathing technique helps. To do this, you need to lie on your back and put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.

Breathing is done only through the nose and using the abdominal muscles. As you inhale, the anterior abdominal wall rises, and as you exhale, it descends. The exhalation should be 3-4 counts longer than the inhalation.

After each inhalation and exhalation, a short pause is needed (for 1-3 counts).

Watch the video about relaxation breathing techniques:

For shortness of breath with cough due to colds or inflammatory diseases, drinking hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger helps. It is pre-ground on the finest grater and the drink is infused for 7-10 minutes.

Treatment of shortness of breath

When respiratory failure develops, therapy is carried out for the underlying disease (pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchial asthma, chronic inflammatory processes in the bronchi). Patients are prescribed:

• oxygen inhalations;
• antibacterial agents;
• drugs for dilating bronchi and thinning sputum;
• chest massage;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• therapeutic exercises to improve the cleansing of the respiratory tract.

Oxygen inhalations

In the treatment of heart failure, efforts are aimed at improving myocardial contractile function. Gentle or bed rest, complete physical and mental rest are recommended.

Table salt and liquid are limited in the diet. For therapy use: ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta blockers, nitrates, oxygen inhalations.

Patients are shown thinning the blood with the help of anticoagulants and drugs that improve metabolism in the heart muscle.

For vegetative-vascular dystonia, neurosis, panic attacks, restful medications and non-drug methods are recommended - water procedures, reflexology, massage, electrosleep, breathing and therapeutic exercises.

A feeling of lack of air can occur against the background of diseases of the heart, lungs, nervous system, blood and disruption of the respiratory muscles.

In order to establish the cause of shortness of breath, its duration, rate of development of symptoms, connection with previous diseases, and combinations of clinical manifestations are analyzed.

With an unknown diagnosis, sudden difficulty breathing against the background of a significant deterioration in health requires medical attention.

Source: http://CardioBook.ru/chuvstvo-nexvatki-vozduxa/

Heavy breathing: causes and remedies in an adult

A person should breathe easily. Nature arranges it in such a way that breathing is an absolutely painless and imperceptible process. We just breathe and that’s it, because if we stopped breathing, a very life-threatening condition would arise.

But these are extremes. But a person may experience difficulty breathing, commonly called “shortness of breath.” This state of the body can be provoked by both external and internal factors.

Causes of heavy breathing

If the oxygen received by the human body is not enough, heavy breathing occurs. The most common causes of heavy breathing are:

1. Intense physical activity. During active physical activity, the muscles need a large amount of oxygen and the organs of the respiratory system are forced to work with greater intensity.
2. Chronic fatigue. When overworked, a disease such as anemia can occur - a lack of oxygen in the blood.
3. Stress and nervous conditions. With strong excitement and anxiety, a spasm of the respiratory tract may occur, which prevents proper breathing and disrupts the access of oxygen to the body.
4. Vascular spasms of the brain. This disorder can be caused by severe headaches.
5. Bronchial asthma. With this disease, spasm of the bronchi and swelling of the mucous membrane occurs due to exposure to various allergens.
6. Lung disease. Failure of the main organ of the respiratory system is one of the causes of heavy breathing.
7. Heart failure. Disturbances in the cardiovascular system can cause a lack of oxygen in the blood.

Nervous conditions as a cause of difficulty breathing

Nervousness is, unfortunately, an integral attribute of any work, and often family life. When you become stressed, you tend to yell and talk at a faster pace than you would normally do.

This condition can cause you to become deprived of oxygen and need to breathe in air more often. However, this is inconvenient, right?

How to get out of this situation? Shut up, calm down and take a few deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. Not enough? Have you lost your breathing?

Do this exercise until everything is restored. By the way, together with breathing, in this way you will restore your heart rhythm, and therefore general calm.

Allergies as a cause of heavy breathing

If you have difficulty breathing, the reasons may lie not only in a nervous state, but also in an allergy to something. It's simple: you inhale the smell of an allergen, which irritates the airways and leads to spasm, which, in turn, turns the breathing process from uncontrolled to conscious.

eliminate the effect of the allergen as soon as possible : get away from an unfamiliar irritating smell, stop eating something that you have never eaten before and something that you you think you may have an allergy. If any drink is an allergen, avoid it.

Sometimes it is not possible to immediately recognize the allergen, and the pathological condition must be eliminated as soon as possible. In this case, try opening a window and letting in fresh air from outside. Cleanse their lungs, and you will see how the situation will immediately begin to turn for the better.

Calmness is an important factor in eliminating heavy breathing due to allergies. Oddly enough, one thing gives rise to the other: you feel it’s hard for you to breathe, you don’t know what to do, hence the natural reaction of the body - stress, which, in turn, also gives rise to heavy breathing. If you can calm down, you will have done 50% of the work to normalize the situation.

Medical causes of heavy breathing

There are a number of pathological conditions when difficulty breathing can occur, and which, as a rule, require urgent and correct help. Let's try to understand the medical causes of difficulty breathing in an adult, as well as ways to eliminate such conditions.

Bronchial asthma . Heavy breathing may be due to a person having bronchial asthma. If you have been given this terrible diagnosis, you should always have an inhaler with the medicine with you.

Sometimes an asthma attack develops so rapidly that a person may lose consciousness. You should definitely carry a note with you indicating where the medicine is and how to use it, so that others, finding you in a helpless state, can correctly and competently provide the necessary assistance.

A disease similar in name - bronchitis - is an inflammation of the bronchi; a pathological condition accompanied by a severe cough, which, in turn, provokes heavy breathing . This is a pathology that needs to be treated with medications.

If you think that this is the cause of heavy breathing, immediately consult a doctor so that he can prescribe adequate therapy that will alleviate your condition.

Anemia

Anemia is a condition of the body in which the blood formula changes in such a way that a person has less red blood cells and hemoglobin. This diagnosis entails frequent and easy breathing.

The causes of anemia can be very diverse. Let's give an example of what anemia can be:

• iron deficiency;
• B12-deficient;
• folate deficiency;
• hemolytic.

Only a doctor can make such a diagnosis for you, and he will prescribe appropriate therapy to eliminate the causes of anemia, and, accordingly, heavy breathing.

Pregnancy

Heavy breathing may not appear in the first trimester of pregnancy . However, you may suffer from this problem after 4–5 months. At this time, the child is actively growing, due to this, the pregnant woman’s diaphragm rises higher and higher.

The respiratory system switches to an enhanced operating mode and can often become difficult to breathe for this very reason.

Perhaps pregnancy is the only reason that cannot be eliminated on your own. It remains to advise in this case to rest more, not to carry heavy objects and, in general, not to do what the body considers hard work.

Obesity

There is such a thing as “body mass index”. It may be underestimated, normal, or overestimated. In the latter case, a person experiences obesity - a condition when body weight is greater than it should be in accordance with the parameters of height and age.

Obesity can be pathological, psychological or natural . In the first case, excess weight gain is influenced by a disease factor that needs to be eliminated. The second case may be due to psychological trauma. And finally, in the latter case, obesity is natural - the person just wants to be fat and consciously moves towards this goal.

How to get rid of it? Lose excess weight ! If it is due to medical factors, treat the disease. Remove the psychological trauma factor or work with a nutritionist to return to a normal diet that will keep you energized in body and spirit.

Smoking: nicotine as a cause of heavy breathing

Smoking is one of the most harmful habits. Nicotine affects the lungs, becoming the main cause of difficulty breathing in adults. Regardless of the number of cigarettes you smoke per day, to eliminate the cause of heavy breathing you just need to quit smoking . At all. Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to zero.

Emergency help for heavy breathing

Breathing pathology can be a sign of serious life-threatening diseases. For example, pre-syncope, pre-infarction, cardiac arrhythmia. These are all conditions that require urgent qualified intervention.

It's difficult to breathe? Firstly, don’t worry, and secondly, clearly identify the factor that caused this pathology. If it is possible to fix the problem yourself, you need to take all measures to normalize breathing as quickly as possible, otherwise seek qualified help .

Source: https://lechim-gorlo.ru/zabolevaniya/tyazhyoloe-dyhanie-prichiny-i-sposoby-ustraneniya-u-vzroslogo-cheloveka