DIFFICULTY OF BREATHING

DIFFICULTY OF BREATHING

The difficulty of breathing is a condition where breathing requires more effort than anticipated. People who experience shortness of breath — generally called dyspnea — portray the sensation as an extraordinary tightness in the chest. Progressive breathing difficulties can be a sign of a serious medical condition, for instance, heart or lung disease or stroke.

TYPES

The types of difficulty of breathing are:

Hyperventilation

The problem occurs when you breathe in faster than your body needs to and when you have more carbon dioxide.

Dyspnea

This is where you feel “short of breath,” like your body can’t get enough air. It’s common among various heart and lung problems such as asthma or heart attack.

Bradypnea

This is when you’re breathing more slowly than ever. It can mean your body isn’t getting enough oxygen.

Tachypnea

This is the opposite of bradypnea. You’re breathing faster than normal.

Hyperpnea

This is where you’re breathing in more air but still not breathing effectively.

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of difficulty of breathing include :

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Fast breathing
  • Gasping
  • Wheezing
  • Rib retraction
  • Nasal flaring
  • Cyanosis, where the hands and feet turn to blue due to low oxygen

DIAGNOSIS

The doctor may take an x-ray to see the structures inside your chest, including the heart, lungs, and bones. A chest x-ray is a good test to diagnose pneumonia. It can’t, however, diagnose most breathing issues. For some individuals with breathing problems, a CT scan of the chest is required. This looks for any issues in the lungs. A CT scan uses x-rays and a computer to make sliced images.

TREATMENT

Substances that cause breathing issues are known as triggers. Avoidance of triggers is the most important way to deal with allergies and asthma. For example, wearing a mask while doing housework or yard work may avoid the difficulty of breathing in asthma sufferers.

 

 

 

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