Heavy breathing: what health problems it can signal

What does heavy breathing actually mean?
Heavy breathing means that the patient has the feeling of not getting enough air. Shortness of breath is a feeling between the subjective should and the possibly existing is that is, the patient can be short of breath although many of the findings are not bad. However, it is often the case that there is an organic disease behind the shortness of breath. These diseases are lung diseases or heart diseases or for example anemia. Shortness of breath should be clarified relatively quickly if it occurs acutely. If it persists for a longer time, one has some time.

What can cause shortness of breath?
The cause of shortness of breath in the lungs is usually asthmatic complaints that occur due to allergies, shortness of breath occurs frequently during infections, but can also have many other causes. In older people who smoke, it is often COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), but the cause of acute or recurrent shortness of breath can also be a pulmonary embolism or rare diseases such as pneumothorax. In addition, one should certainly also think of heart diseases and these should be clarified in a differential diagnosis. This means that in young patients we often think of allergies, in older patients of cardiovascular diseases, in smokers of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and in people who have shortness of breath during sleep of sleep apnea. It is also important to ask about any accompanying symptoms (cough, noises in the airway, sputum or pain).

But when heavy breathing is accompanied by other symptoms, such as tiredness, chest pain, a lump in the throat or bloating, what can it signal?
These accompanying symptoms then point to possible more specific diseases i.e. bronchial asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), pulmonary embolism, lung cancer, sleep apnea or others.

Which is more dangerous: heavy breathing on exertion or in sleep?
Shortness of breath is most dangerous when it occurs acutely or it worsens acutely. Exertional dyspnea may be an indication of asthma, or it may be an indication of heart disease. Nocturnal dyspnea may be a symptom of sleep apnea, and respiratory sounds may be a sign of respiratory disease. In combination with leg edema, dyspnea may be a sign of heart failure.

When should we go to the specialist?
In the case of new symptoms or a worsening of already known symptoms, further clarification should take place, ideally with a lung specialist, usually with a lung function test and X-ray, together with thoracic ct or further with a cardiologist and internist.

How can breathing problems be treated?
Respiratory problems are usually treated according to their cause. Typically, in the case of obstruction (narrowed airways) with inhalation therapy to open the bronchi and, depending on the cause in asthma and COPD, also with anti-inflammatory therapy. In cases of severe obstruction, modern therapies are available in the form of antibody therapies or targeted therapies. In case of allergies specific therapies and prevention, in case of chronic bronchitis with medical treatments together with physical methods to mobilize the mucus, a particular example of bronchiectasis.

Wiener Privatklinik Holding AG

Wiener Privatklinik

WPK

Vienna Private Clinic

Wolfgang Popp

difficulty breathing

shortness of breath

sleep apnea

dyspnea

cardiovascular disease

lung disease

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COPD