Trouble Breathing Symptoms

Breathing difficulty, medically known as dyspnea, is experienced by most people under different circumstances and is mostly ignored as something that is not very serious. The fact is, that shortness of breath or experiencing trouble breathing is an indication of various serious medical and health related disorders, some of which can even be life threatening. When someone is having trouble breathing, he/she experiences a difficulty in drawing in enough air or oxygen. A small amount of breathing difficulty is experienced by almost everybody at some point or the other, but breathlessness or trouble breathing symptoms that lasts for more than a few minutes is not at all normal and should be attended to immediately. Read more on shortness of breath.

Trouble Breathing Causes
There can be several factors that can cause breathing difficulties. Certain medical conditions like bronchitis, asthma, allergies, sinusitis, heart diseases, emphysema, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, hypertension, panic attacks, etc. can cause trouble breathing. Lack of exercise, overexertion by physical activities, obesity, dust and pollution, inhalation of a foreign objects, obstruction of the airways, smoking and chest congestion can also cause breathlessness and breathing difficulty. Read more on reasons for shortness of breath and fatigue.

Trouble Breathing Symptoms
The following are some of the common signs and symptoms of difficulty breathing that will require medical attention.

Headache: Trouble breathing accompanied by severe headache or headache on one particular side of the head may be an indication of an allergic condition or sinusitis. This is also one of the primary breathing problems symptoms.

Chest Pain: Trouble breathing along with chest pain is a very common symptom as the inability to draw in air puts some pressure on the lungs which may result in chest pain. People suffering from asthma, lung disease or bronchitis often experience trouble breathing with chest pain. Chest pain occurring along with trouble breathing may also be an indication of the person suffering from a heart attack. Read more on chest pain while breathing.

Coughing: Breathlessness is very often accompanied by coughing in which case the cough may either be a dry or wet cough. When trouble breathing is caused due to the inhalation of certain foreign objects, the body tries to eliminate the object by initiating coughing.

Nose Blockage: When a person is struggling to breathe through his nose and mouth, it is due to the blockage of the nasal passages that disrupts normal breathing. Nose blockage may occur due to a persistent cold or cough, sinusitis and allergies.

Wheezing: Trouble breathing is often accompanied by wheezing and is experienced by people suffering from asthma, emphysema or lung disease. Wheezing can be identified by the low whistling sounds and usually gets worse during the night or when the person lies down.

Nausea and Vomiting: When people experiencing breathing trouble try to pull in air, it may result in them feeling nauseated or throwing up due to the pressure that is applied on the lungs. At times, this also helps in clearing up the choked respiratory passage.

Mucus and Phlegm: Trouble breathing may be accompanied by the elimination of large amounts of mucus and phlegm from the mouth and the nasal passage, especially when trouble breathing is caused due to mucus and phlegm obstructing the respiratory passage.

Sweating: People experiencing troubled breathing may sweat profusely, which may also indicate a heart attack, panic attack, asthma attack or anxiety attack. Read more on reasons for shortness of breath.

Dizziness: Trouble breathing is often accompanied by dizziness due to the lack of oxygen supply in the body.

Trouble Breathing Treatment
Immediate medical attention should be provided to people suffering from any kind of shortness of breath or breathing trouble or else it could prove to be fatal. Hospitalization may be required in severe cases or else certain medications like inhalers may help improve the condition of the person. People prone to trouble breathing symptoms should avoid anything that can trigger breathing difficulty and must take adequate measures and treatment to prevent the same.

In addition to the treatment options mentioned above, trouble breathing symptoms can be prevented by reducing stress levels, practicing breathing exercises, improving lung capacity and leading a healthy lifestyle. Do not ignore these symptoms and do seek medical help to avoid further complications.