Conversely, you may have chronic dyspnea. This is when shortness of breath lasts beyond a month. You may experience long-term dyspnea because of COPD, obesity, or another condition. You may have several accompanying symptoms with dyspnea. These additional symptoms can help you and your doctor diagnose its underlying cause.
If you experience a cough, the dyspnea may be caused by a condition in your lungs. If you feel the symptom as chest pains, the doctor may test for heart conditions. Your doctor may discover symptoms outside of the heart and lungs that cause the dyspnea as well.
Be sure to make a list of any symptoms you experience with dyspnea so you can share them with your doctor. Dyspnea is a symptom that can cover a range of health conditions.
Generally, your doctor will:. Your doctor will conduct tests depending on your history and physical examination. Some baseline tests may include:. Dyspnea can usually be treated by identifying and treating the condition that is causing it.
During the time it takes for your doctor to diagnose the condition, you may receive interventions like oxygen and ventilation assistance to relive the symptom.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. These may include steroids for asthma, antibiotics for pneumonia, or another medication related to your underlying condition. You may also need supplemental oxygen. In some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to alleviate dyspnea. There are additional treatments for dyspnea that go beyond medical interventions.
Your doctor may recommend that you try breathing exercises. These can strengthen your lung functioning as well as help you combat dyspnea when it arises in your daily life. 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. While this isn't a medical emergency, it's not something to ignore either. And, if you feel like you're not getting enough oxygen, your organs aren't either — which can have serious short-term and long-term consequences to your health. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Washington D. Goldstein DS. Adrenal responses to stress. Cell Mol Neurobiol. Etiology, triggers and neurochemical circuits associated with unexpected, expected, and laboratory-induced panic attacks.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. Cleveland Clinic. How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Relaxation techniques for health. Updated May Screening for anxiety in adolescent and adult women: A recommendation from the Women's Preventive Services Initiative. Ann Intern Med. Your Privacy Rights.
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