Rapid breathing

Rapid breathing is an increase in the frequency of respiratory movements. In medicine, this condition is called the term “tachypnea.” An adult breathes up to 20 times per minute at rest, this is considered the norm. In children, the normal frequency is up to 40 times. With a symptom of rapid breathing, the frequency of inhalations-exhalations in adults increases up to 30-40 times, in children up to 50-60. This phenomenon in healthy people occurs in stressful situations and at the time of physical activity. But if tachypnea overcomes for no apparent reason, you need to figure out why this happens and what to do about it.

How does shortness of breath manifest?

For the normal functioning of the body, an adult needs to inhale and exhale 18-20 times per minute. This is enough to provide oxygen to all organs and systems of the body.

The breath should be deep, continuous and should not be accompanied by pain. With tachypnea, a person breathes quickly and shallowly. This describes the main symptom and cause of the phenomenon. The respiratory rate increases when oxygen levels in the blood decrease and carbon dioxide levels rise. To restore normal saturation (oxygen saturation), the brain sends many signals through the respiratory center.

Patients often confuse tachypnea with shortness of breath. In the first case, the breath is shallow and sharp, may be interrupted. With shortness of breath, both the frequency of respiratory movements and their depth increase. Rapid breathing of a pathological nature can turn into shortness of breath if the patient is not treated. The described symptom can be within the framework of simple physiological causes, or it can be triggered by a disease. Tachypnea is considered normal during exercise, stress and training.

In a healthy person, the frequency of breaths increases in moments of stressful situations, anger or hysteria. Tachypnea caused by physical exertion or emotional shock does not require treatment. When a person is in a calm environment or rests, the symptom will disappear on its own. If breathing becomes frequent and intermittent without any load, at rest or sleep, it is necessary to be examined. The cause of this condition can be both a mild ailment and a severe pathology.

Why does shortness of breath occur?

Tachypnea in a healthy person during work, sports or stress appears because the body needs to quickly recuperate. The same symptom develops in overweight individuals, and no additional factors are needed to increase breathing. In this case, tachypnea is a reflex in nature, you can get rid of it only with the normalization of weight. An increase in the frequency of inhalations and exits in a calm state is a secondary symptom of a serious illness. These can be psychopathologies, diseases of the cardiovascular system, disorders of the central nervous system, diseases of the respiratory system.

The most common causes of rapid breathing in adults are:

• bronchial asthma;
• heart failure;
• anemia;
• cardiac ischemia;
• pulmonary embolism;
• hyperthyroidism;
• pneumosclerosis;
• pleurisy;
• pneumonia;
• ketoacidosis;
• hysteria;
• myocardial infarction;
• allergic reaction.

With any of these diseases, rapid breathing is not the only symptom. In inflammatory processes, fever, chills and malaise are added to it. Cardiovascular diseases and pathologies of the respiratory system are accompanied by chest pains, blue skin and lips, dizziness, weakness. With airway obstruction, attacks begin in the supine position. If breathing quickens when the patient lies on his side, this indicates problems with the heart. Psychopathology causes rapid breathing (up to 50 times per minute), tremors and tremors throughout the body, blurred consciousness, sometimes incoherent speech and muscle weakness.

The doctor will be able to accurately determine the cause of such manifestations after a thorough examination. There are also factors that increase the risk of tachypnea in a healthy adult. These include constant stressful situations (at work or in the family), smoking, alcohol addiction, abuse of tranquilizers and antidepressants, poor nutrition. Heavy weight and pregnancy are almost always accompanied by heavy and frequent breathing. With flu, colds, fever, breathing also quickens.

Rapid breathing in children

Children are characterized by an increased frequency of inhalations and exhalations compared to the norm for adults. Newborns have a so-called transient rapid breathing. It appears in an infant if, after childbirth, the fluid in the lungs is absorbed very slowly. Depending on the situation, a child with tachypnea may be placed on a ventilator. But in most cases, this condition is not dangerous for the newborn, the breathing rhythm is restored after 2-3 days. It most often occurs with babies born by caesarean section.

In children from one to 12 years of age, such symptoms should be carefully monitored. If a child at rest or sleep begins to breathe often in short breaths, this may indicate one of the above diseases.

For different age groups of children there are norms of respiratory movements:

• up to 12 months – up to 35 times per minute;
• from 2 to 3 years – up to 30 times per minute;
• from 5 to 6 years – 25 times per minute;
• from 7 to 12 years – 20 times.

If tachypnea in a child recurs for no apparent reason, especially during sleep, an urgent need to contact a pediatrician.

Treatment and diagnosis

It is dangerous to delay visiting a doctor, as rapid breathing in adults and children can be a signal of a serious problem. If such a symptom occurs in conjunction with chest pain, skin discoloration, fainting, you need to seek help as soon as possible. Since tachypnea is a symptom of a very wide range of diseases, it is better to go to a generalist. First of all, you need to contact a pediatrician, therapist or family doctor. Based on the first examination and complaints, the doctor will determine what tests and examinations are needed.

To make a diagnosis, X-ray, ultrasound, fibrobronchoscopy, blood tests, and listening are used. Based on the general results and symptoms, the diagnosis and treatment tactics are determined. It is impossible to predict what therapy will be, as it depends on the cause of rapid breathing.

Often, treatment includes both oral medications and rehabilitation procedures (oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, spa treatments).

It is difficult to accurately prevent tachypnea, since this requires the prevention of dozens of diseases. But you can reduce the risk of rapid breathing. To do this, it is recommended to give up bad habits, engage in feasible physical exercises, and relax after emotional overstrain. A timely visit to the doctor and examination once a year is the best prevention for all types of diseases.

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