Shortness of breath is the difficulty to breathe due to a constriction or an obstruction in the breathing passage, like throat or lungs. Sometimes the causes of shortness of breath can be simple like an allergy and on other occasions, the causes of shortness of breath could also be something serious like a heart attack.
What causes shortness of breath? Shortness of breath from exertion is a very common phenomenon. Breathing problems cause shortness of breath in many. Besides this another reason for shortness of breath is anxiety. Sometimes shortness of breath causes chest pain in an individual; however this could also be the reason for shortness of breath. Other reasons for shortness of breath include after eating, fatigue, during exercise, due to an edema, chest tightness, cough and chest pain and of course, anxiety. Some more causes for shortness of breath are bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, different kinds of lung diseases, pneumonia, pulmonary fibroids and pulmonary hypertension and during pregnancy when the uterus expands and pushes against other organs inside the body.
When you do get an attack of any kind that causes a shortness of breath, it is important to remember that you should not panic. Being calm ensures that all parts of your body get oxygen and you do not faint because of a lack of oxygen. If you are prone to such attacks, it is important to tell people around you about your condition; so that they know how to help you deal with the condition if it were to cause an attack. Most attacks last only for a few minutes but those few minutes are crucial.
If the shortness of breath is caused by a distinct medical problem, the medical problem needs to be addressed in order to stop the recurrent attacks. For instance if the shortness of breath is caused by an edema, it also usually means you will be having a heart attack soon and you should definitely call for the emergency services. Rapid weight gain can also impede breathing so ideally losing weight would help the cause. Of course, treatment like this is not instant but the shortness of breath is also usually not like an attack but a more consistent condition.
The symptoms for shortness of breath due to anxiety are quite typical and have definite treatment. It includes taking quick short breaths, feeling winded and not being able to speak, breathing through pursued lips, sitting on your hands and knees trying to breath, feeling a gasping sensation in which you are using your neck and chest muscles to breathe. If the symptoms are of a more serious nature, like the person is turning blue due to a lack of oxygen, is confused and wheezing, is absolutely unable to speak and is experiencing dizziness then you need to call the emergency services. Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease can often lead to heart attack, which is known to cause shortness of breath.
Usually there are many home remedies that help ease the trouble caused by shortness of breath. These home remedies are not only safe to use but also very effective. One of the effective treatments is meditation. You should use meditation techniques to stay calm. Eat a balanced diet. Sleep enough and get adequate rest. Stay away from abusive behavior such as smoking and drinking. Ensure that you monitor your blood sugar and cholesterol levels so that you are not caught off guard. Stay active and get enough exercise. If an allergy is triggering these attacks, control the allergy by paying attention to what aggravates it and stay away from those items. Manage your stress levels effectively so as to keep anxiety attacks at bay. Learn breathing techniques through yoga which will help you strengthen your lung and chest muscles. It will teach you to control your breathing through slow, long breaths. However, do keep in mind that if the symptoms seem far too severe and do not respond to any of the above mentioned remedies, it is best that you seek professional help without further delay.
answered by A S