How does shortness of breath occur

Ashton R, Raman D. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed June 30, Some people with breathing problems can feel breathless just by doing normal activities like standing up or walking to another room. See your health care provider if you have shortness of breath and:.

Prompt diagnosis is important so that you can begin to manage the cause and symptoms of your shortness of breath. A medical history and exam can often give your health care provider a good explanation. Sometimes, special tests are required. Your doctor or other health care provider will ask you about your symptoms. Try to give him or her as much information about your symptoms as you can. Your provider will listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. He or she may order additional tests, which could include:.

Visit your health care provider when a normal activity causes unexpected shortness of breath. Get your breathing difficulty checked if it:.

In such a case, you may need to seek emergency care. Treatment for shortness of breath depends on its cause. If the cause is your lungs or airways, your health care provider may give you medication.

Most people begin to feel better after the diagnosis is clear. Your provider may recommend that you:. Set up a meeting with your provider. Together, you can go over how to manage your shortness of breath. See if you qualify for specific treatment, like pulmonary rehab. The following images illustrate every step in the process: Shortness of Breath: An Overview. In a normal state, the pulmonary and cardiovascular organs play a role in maintaining stable levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

The carotid body is a nerve bundle in the artery in the neck. It monitors oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and communicates the information to the brain.

The respiratory muscles, diaphragm, and chest wall work together to let air in and out. For instance, maybe you can no longer keep pace with someone you're walking with or you can't climb a flight of stairs.

Previously, you could stop and take a deep breath and carry on, but that's harder now," says Dr. But not all shortness of breath develops slowly over time. Sometimes, shortness of breath hits suddenly, and maybe even severely. Importantly, if shortness of breath is moderate to severe and occurs suddenly — and especially if it's accompanied by chest pain, lightheadedness and changes to the color of your skin — it's become a medical emergency that warrants a call to Still, even if you think your symptoms are due to a panic attack, it's important to go to the ER to get checked out and confirm you're not in immediate danger.

Then there's the milder shortness of breath experienced on occasion with physical activity. Mahler DA, et al.

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Advances in Respiratory Medicine. Olson EJ expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 19, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 11,