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Dyspnoea is one of the most common and most difficult to diagnose reasons for patients to see their doctor. It is usually associated with poor physical condition or emotional agitation, especially when it occurs during exercise. But when it happens more often and for no apparent reason, there is a fear that it has a more serious disease behind it. Dyspnea does not always have to be a symptom of coronavirus infection.
- Dyspnoea is a subjective feeling of lack of air, difficulty breathing or breathlessness. It depends on many physiological, environmental, psychological and social factors. It is often accompanied by anxiety
- Doctors differentiate dyspnoea depending on its severity and the causes of its occurrence. The latter division seems to be of the greatest practical importance.
- We present diseases with dyspnea as a symptom
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Dyspnoea that occurs in diseases of the respiratory system
Its characteristic symptom is stridor, i.e. a loud inspiratory murmur. A sitting position brings relief. A common cause is narrowing of the airways, which occurs when a foreign body enters the airways. Breathing difficulties also occur in pneumonia, tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis, lung pressure caused by large exudate, and in the case of significant curvature of the spine.
Dyspnoea may also occur in diseases related to the narrowing of the larynx and trachea, e.g. laryngitis or spasm, glottis edema, e.g. after hymenoptera stings and laryngeal nerve paralysis. Less common causes include: mediastinal tumor, laryngeal compression by retrosternal goitre or aortic aneurysm.
Dyspnoea can also occur with exacerbations of bronchial asthma, manifested by wheezing and whirring sounds when you breathe out. Other causes include bronchitis and bronchiolitis.
Some herbs have a positive effect on the proper functioning of the respiratory tract, therefore, in the prevention of infections or asthma, it is worth drinking ASTMOFIX regularly – a herbal-fruit tea, which contains: thyme, elderberry flower and fruit, wild mallow, linden, anise.
Another group of respiratory diseases that manifest as dyspnea are lung and pleural diseases. These include pneumonia, lung cirrhosis, neoplastic metastases, as well as atelectasis caused by e.g. bronchoconstriction in the course of lung cancer or the presence of a foreign body in the bronchus. Dyspnoea, which occurs even with very little effort, is characteristic of chronic respiratory diseases, such as: conditions after lung tissue excision, pulmonary fibrosis, numerous minor pulmonary embolisms, and COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the case of the latter, shortness of breath after leaving a warm room to cold air is characteristic.
Dyspnoea may also indicate a pneumothorax, which is often a complication of various lung diseases, such as: emphysema, staphylococcal pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis, pulmonary cystic disease, bronchiectasis, lung abscess, and pulmonary fibrosis. Pneumothorax can also be the result of chest injuries or a complication of various diagnostic procedures.
Dyspnoea is also one of the hallmarks of COVID-19.
Dyspnea resulting from respiratory diseases requires consultation with a pulmonologist. You can make an appointment quickly and efficiently at a private Arkmedic clinic.
- See also: According to doctors, this is the most dangerous symptom of coronavirus infection
Dyspnoea caused by cardiovascular disease
Dyspnoea in cardiovascular diseases is of the inspiratory type. It is characteristic that dyspnea in the supine position intensifies and decreases in the vertical position. Often, in dyspnea caused by heart disease, dyspnoea worsens when lying on the left side.
The most common causes include: left ventricular heart failure, mitral valve defects, as well as arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic fibrosis of the heart muscle, aortic valve defects, congenital heart defects with right to left leakage. With these conditions, breathlessness often worsens at night. The cause of chronic dyspnea may be recurrent pulmonary embolism, and acute dyspnoea – pulmonary embolism.
Dyspnoea is the primary symptom of constrictive pericarditis and acute exudative pericarditis. On the other hand, breathlessness that increases over the course of hours or days may be a symptom of cardiac tamponade, which is the presence of a large amount of fluid in the pericardial sac. It is a medical emergency and requires urgent medical intervention. The most common cause of cardiac tamponade is lung or breast cancer.
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Dyspnoea caused by diseases of the chest and muscles
Dyspnoea may occur in the course of significant curvature of the spine, massive deformation of the chest, ankylosing spondylitis and myasthenia gravis, which is a disorder of neuromuscular conduction, which is manifested by rapid fatigue and muscle weakness.
Dyspnoea in the course of diseases of the central nervous system
The most common causes include: hemorrhagic stroke, encephalitis and meningitis, and brain tumors. Dyspnoea is also a symptom of carbon monoxide, sleeping pills and morphine poisoning.
Psychogenic dyspnea
Psychogenic dyspnea is when you can’t breathe deeply enough. People with neurotic dyspnea from time to time take a deep breath (sigh). Many people also complain of pressure around the larynx. Characteristically, dyspnea does not worsen with exercise. Dyspnea is often accompanied by a rapid beating and pounding of the heart, sometimes associated with fear and tremors throughout the body.
When should you contact your doctor?
Dyspnoea in most cases requires medical attention. Conversely, if your breathlessness is acute, so severe that it makes it difficult to speak, or is accompanied by pain or pressure in your chest, you should urgently call an ambulance. Remember that you can currently consult your family doctor online via the halodoctor.pl portal. Consultation takes place without going to the clinic.
However, if the symptoms do not indicate a very serious disease and there is no immediate threat to life, we should see a doctor as soon as possible.
While breathlessness is always a disturbing condition, it is worthwhile to be sober and only call an ambulance when necessary, because someone else may really need a doctor at that time.