Reasons for Shortness of Breath

Sometimes, you may have experienced difficulty in breathing after intense physical activity. You might have experienced that you are not getting enough air and feeling suffocated. It can also cause fatigue due to lack of oxygen. This condition is referred to as shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing or dyspnea or breathlessness. Shortness of breath may sometimes result from mild exercise; while, in some people, it can be indicative of specific disorders such as lung diseases. Breathlessness can be acute (sudden onset of symptoms) or chronic (symptoms for longer duration).

Causes of Shortness of Breath

There are several different reasons for shortness of breath. Obstruction of the air passages of mouth, nose or throat can cause shortness of breath. Some serious health conditions such as lung diseases or heart diseases can also lead to shortness of breath. Some emotional conditions such as stress and anxiety are also responsible for dyspnea.

Acute Dyspnea: In acute dyspnea, there is sudden onset of symptoms. In most cases of acute dyspnea, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary disorders and chest trauma are the major causes.

• Pulmonary disorders such as obstruction of the airway by a foreign object, acute pneumonia, swelling in the air passages due to infection, lung hemorrhages, anaphylactic shock or severe bronchospasms related to asthma can cause shortness of breath.
• Cardiovascular diseases such as disturbances in the heart rhythm, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and heart arrhythmias can lead to acute dyspnea.
• Various chest injuries and penetrating wounds can lead to bruises, pneumothorax (collapsed lungs) or fractured ribs
• Certain emotional conditions such as anxiety and panic attacks can also lead to acute shortness of breath. In such situations, you may experience hyperventilation.

Chronic Dyspnea: Chronic dyspnea is a symptom of heart diseases, pulmonary disorders, neuromuscular disorders and thyroid problems.

• Heart diseases which result from inadequate blood supply to the heart muscles can lead to chronic dyspnea. A tumor in the heart or inflammation of the pericardial membrane can also cause shortness of breath.
• Chronic dyspnea can result from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, tumors, pulmonary hypertension or vocal cord diseases.
• Neuromuscular disorders such as muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and myasthenia gravis can lead to progressive deterioration of the chest muscles, causing chronic dyspnea.
• People with severe anemia can develop dyspnea after vigorous exercises. Dyspnea can also result from some other health conditions such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatus hernia. Being overweight is also an important cause of shortness of breath.

Due to shortness of breath, your body is deprived of oxygen, which can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, you should consider breathlessness as a medical emergency and immediately seek appropriate medical treatment. Dyspnea is diagnosed on the basis of findings of physical examination, blood tests like arterial blood gases (ABG), pulse oximetry (measurement of blood oxygen saturations), pulmonary function test, chest X-ray, CT scan and echocardiogram. In severe cases of dyspnea, hospitalization and supplemental oxygen is necessary.