Dyspnoea – causes, symptoms, types and procedures

Proven content

Dyspnoea is an individual feeling of breathlessness (air) and difficulty breathing that occurs after disproportionately little exertion; may also occur at rest. Dyspnoea accompanied by cyanosis is especially dangerous.

A few words about breathlessness …

Dyspnoea is a feeling characterized by unpleasant breathing (lack of air) and it can be felt in different ways. Dyspnoea may occur during exercise or rest, but the most common causes are respiratory ailments. Very often, dyspnea appears as a response to severe stress and emotional experiences.

People who often experience shortness of breath should consult their ailments with a doctor who will determine further treatment. Consultation with a family doctor can also be made via an online visit as part of the National Health Fund. Make an appointment today!

Dyspnoea – causes

Dyspnoea occurs when too little oxygen is supplied to the body and the body’s output of carbon dioxide is impaired, usually due to:

1. cardiovascular failure,
2. bronchitis,
3. psychogenic disorders,
4. respiratory organ failure,
5. an attack of bronchial asthma (asthma)
6. emphysema
7. metabolic disorders,
8. post-inflammatory pulmonary fibrosis,
9. decrease in the volume of the lungs due to pressure from the outside (pleural fluid, pneumothorax, tumor).

Other possible causes of breathlessness include:

1. the presence of a foreign body – while inhaling, there is a whistling sound and a violent cough (a common affliction of young children). It should be removed from the airway as soon as possible (bronchoscopy)
2. heart failure – shortness of breath occurs when lying down,
3. anxiety disorders,
4. paralysis of the diaphragm – appears suddenly (dyspnea in the supine position),
5. damage to the respiratory tract of a toxic nature (breathlessness occurs as a result of contact with chemicals and other toxic substances; especially in people who, due to their profession, have daily contact with such substances),
6. myocardial infarction,
7. asthma (sufferers generally have wheezing and trouble breathing that occur as a reaction to a specific allergen).
8. lack of physical activity – shortness of breath occurs after exercise in people who generally lead a sedentary lifestyle,
9. anemia,
10. interstitial lung disease
11. obstructive pulmonary disease – breathlessness occurs at first after exercise, then even at rest.

Before first aid is given, it is necessary to determine the type of breathlessness experienced, whether it is permanent or periodic.

If the shortness of breath is periodic shortness of breath, one should find its cause (whether it is related to physical exertion, or to nervousness, contact with an object or smell). It is also very important to determine if the patient has difficulty breathing in or out, or if he or she has mixed-type dyspnoea.

Dyspnoea may be a symptom that may be life-threatening, especially when associated with cyanosis.

Sudden breathlessness (especially in children) may be a consequence of the ingress of a foreign body into the throat or upper respiratory tract. Then, the life-saving procedure is usually lifting the toddler upside down and head down, or a maneuver to compress the lower part of the chest, which very often causes the foreign body to be ejected from the larynx or upper part of the trachea. Dyspnea can also be an expression of an embolism and pulmonary infarction.

1. In case of shortness of breath, it is worth using the Opuntia flower as a tea.

In case of shortness of breath, a cardiology package may be useful to help diagnose the cause of the problem. Get the package today!

Symptoms of breathlessness

The most common symptoms of dyspnea are:

1. joining the work of additional respiratory muscles,
2. rapid breathing,
3. shallow breathing
4. mobility of the wings of the nose,
5. usually leaning forward (leaning against something),
6. drawing intercostal spaces,
7. stridor coming out of the patient’s mouth (there is a characteristic sound),
8. audible wheezing (especially with expiratory dyspnea),
9. haemoptysis (this is the coughing up of blood from the respiratory tract, suggesting pulmonary embolism or chronic bronchitis). The most serious disease associated with haemoptysis is lung cancer.

Do your symptoms require medical consultation? Check it out for yourself in a short medical interview.

Alarming symptoms of weight loss should be a cause for concern; night sweats; confusion and disturbance of consciousness; chest pain; shortness of breath at rest. The chest pain associated with dyspnea is the first of a heart attack, but there are also other ailments that are characterized by these two symptoms, such as pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade and aortic dissection. In any case, a consultation with a doctor is necessary, because dyspnoea + chest pain is a condition that may be life-threatening.

Dyspnoea and stress

Dyspnoea is fairly common in people who are highly stressed. It is a characteristic symptom of neurosis that occurs when we feel a strong feeling of anxiety. Dyspnoea may also be accompanied by other additional symptoms, such as stinging around the heart, tightness in the chest or palpitations. In addition, patients complain of having difficulty drawing air into their lungs. Strong dyspnea occurs during an attack of severe hysteria, but also in completely healthy people who are struggling with strong emotions at the moment. Another common symptom of breathlessness in a stressful situation is the feeling of a “lump” in the throat.

Types of breathlessness

It should be emphasized that the principles of differentiating the type of dyspnea described below, and especially the guidelines relating to the management of bronchial (expiratory) and cardiac (inspiratory) dyspnea, apply only to patients whose diagnosis has already been made by a doctor.

1. Inspiratory breathlessness it is generally a consequence of a weakened heart, congestion and hypertension in the pulmonary veins, and sometimes an anatomical narrowing of the upper respiratory tract. Air has an obstructed path to the alveoli, the patient’s breathing becomes shallow and accelerated, the respiratory muscles tense, and the lower intercostal spaces collapse on inhalation. Inspiratory breathlessness is characteristic of heart failure.

2. Expiratory dyspnea it is most often associated with narrowing of the bronchioles and low elasticity of the alveoli. Expiratory dyspnea can be observed in emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, etc. Breathing difficulties relate primarily to exhalation, which is a passive activity. The extra expiratory muscles as you exhale are strongly tense to actively support the exhalation act.

3. Mixed nature of dyspnoea characterized by problems with simultaneous inhalation and exhalation. It is present in many chronic or subacute diseases of the respiratory organ, coexisting with diseases of the circulatory system, especially of the heart.

A sudden onset of severe breathlessness is a symptom breathlessness, or asthma. During a seizure, the patient is forced to assume a comfortable position, usually standing or sitting, leaning forward and leaning against, for example, the sill of an open window, as the support enables the respiratory muscles to work more.

The most common conditions of sudden breathlessness include seizures:

1. bronchial asthma (asthma)
2. cardiac asthma (asthma).

To support your respiratory system and facilitate breathing, try ASTMOFIX – herbal and fruit tea with wild mallow in the composition.

Any attack of dyspnea accompanied by cyanosis should be consulted immediately with a doctor. You should call an ambulance as soon as possible.

Dyspnoea – How To Deal?

Management depends on the cause of the dyspnea. For example, if we feel a strong feeling of breathlessness in a crowded room – go outside and get some fresh air. If your breathlessness has been caused by severe hysteria / stress, first of all, calm down and distract your thoughts from unnecessary emotions and breathe slowly.

Oxygen is considered to be a universal remedy in the case of dyspnea, and should be delivered to the patient as soon as possible (also with fresh air). In addition, the patient should be placed in a position that will make breathing much easier (avoid lying down!), E.g. half-sitting or sitting. For people with dyspnoea associated with acute laryngitis, exposure to cold air is a good practice. If there is no improvement, adrenaline or glucocorticosteroids are administered intramuscularly or intravenously.

Bronchodilators (e.g. salbutamol) are administered to people suffering from respiratory diseases.