Breathing Difficulty

Lack of oxygen or fresh air can prove to be fatal. When breathing becomes difficult, the person feels that he is not getting enough air. The person who is having difficulty in breathing needs first-aid immediately. Sometimes, only mild exercise, for instance, climbing stairs can lead to shortness of breath, even though you do not have a specific disorder. On the contrary, some people have advanced lung disease but never feel short of breath. Breathing difficulty is known as dyspnea in medical world.

Symptoms of Dyspnea

• Wheezing or sharp sound while breathing
• Blue in the face, chest or hands
• Can hardly speak one or two words between breaths
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Sometimes accompanied by cough
• Chest pain
• Chest tightness and pressure
• Difficulty in sitting, lying down or standing.

Tightness in chest and shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart attack. This is the most serious cause of breathing difficulty.

Causes of Dyspnea

• Heart attack
• Compression of windpipe
• Pneumonia
• Injury to the neck, chest wall or lungs
• Asthma
• Lung disorders
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Anesthesia complications during surgery
• Congestive heart failure
• Asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation (e.g. Firefighters)
• Anaphylactic shock syndrome (life-threatening allergic reaction)
• Lack of oxygen to the brain at high altitudes
• Drowning, Strangulation
• Blood clot in the lung or pulmonary embolism
• Very low blood pressure

The list doesn't end here. There are several other causes of shortness of breath. The above causes are the most common causes of breathing problems.

Choking after Eating

Sometimes there are temporary causes behind difficulty in breathing. Feeling breathless after eating can be due to acid reflux or due to flatulence. Breathing difficulty after eating can be due to food poisoning or allergen in the food consumed, for which you may need prompt medical help. If you already have too much cough or chest congestion, then it is likely that you may have to face the problem of breathlessness after eating. Infants face such problems due to incomplete chewing of food or due to talking or laughing with food inside the mouth. Prolonged intake of alcohol or drugs and ailments like Parkinson's disease, ill fitted dental work or aging can lead to shortness of breath after eating in elderly.

Shortness of Breath during Pregnancy

A mild degree of breathing difficulty during pregnancy is considered as normal. Progesterone, the hormone released during pregnancy causes rapid breathing and the woman may have some difficulty in breathing. The growing baby can increase the pressure on the diaphragm, causing difficulty in breathing. But for sudden or severe difficulty in breathing, you should immediately contact your doctor.

Breathing Difficulty at Night

Difficulty in breathing at night or feeling breathless when lying down is a common complaint. Those who have heart or lungs problems, or chest or nose congestion during cough and cold may have difficulty in breathing while lying down. They should keep the head elevated to breathe deeply. While snoring also, people suddenly wake up due to shortness of breath when the airway becomes partially blocked.

Smokers may have difficulty in breathing deeply. Lung disorders are responsible for difficulty in breathing deeply. Anxiety, emotional distress and panic attacks can also cause difficulty in breathing deeply.

Severe difficulty in breathing may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation and quick supply of oxygen through oxygen masks. The basic causes of shortness of breath is blockage of air passage in nose, mouth or throat and inability of the heart to pump enough blood to supply oxygen to the body. Obesity and lack of exercise can worsen the problem of breathing difficulty. Diet and regular exercise play a significant role in healthy and active life.