Breathing problems come in several different forms. You may have:
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea), making it feel like you can’t get enough air when you breathe
- Wheezing, during which you hear a whistling sound when you take a breath
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea), in which you breathe fast and shallow but aren’t exercising
- Slow breathing (bradypnea), in which your body isn’t getting enough oxygen, such as due to sleep apnea (temporary pauses in breathing during sleep)
What Causes Breathing Problems?
Breathing problems can be caused by conditions affecting the sinuses, heart, lungs, and more:
Allergies. Allergens, such as pollen, enter your nose and sinuses. If you have an allergic reaction, your nasal passages may become inflamed. The reaction may make you cough, wheeze, and have shortness of breath or shallow breathing.
Asthma. Allergies are a common trigger for asthma. If allergies inflame your nasal passages and you have asthma, the inflammation may trigger an asthma attack.
Heart conditions. Heart problems that affect your breathing include:
- Cardiomyopathy makes it hard for your heart muscle to pump blood. Your organs and tissues don’t get enough oxygen, which can cause trouble breathing, dizziness, coughing while lying down, or chest pain.
- Heart failure can make you feel breathless as your heart weakens.
- Tachycardia makes your heart beat too fast (more than 100 beats per minute) and causes shortness of breath.
Infections. The common cold, COVID-19, or sinus infections (sinusitis) can make it difficult to breathe for a week or two. When viruses enter your nose, the tissues lining your sinuses may swell. Once the inflammation eases and your sinuses begin to drain, breathing starts to return to normal. Other types of lung infection that may cause breathing problems include pneumonia and tuberculosis, as well as infections related to HIV or AIDS.
Lung diseases. These affect your airways and breathing. Examples include:
- Bronchitis. Whether it’s acute bronchitis caused by a virus or chronic bronchitis, which is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may have a wet cough and trouble breathing.
- COPD. This condition makes it hard to exhale (blow air out), so there’s less room for fresh air to come into your lungs. Emphysema caused by cigarette smoke is also a form of COPD in which the small air sacs in your lungs are damaged.
- Cystic fibrosis. This condition makes it hard to clear mucus from your airways, which leads to infections.
- Excess fluid. When there’s too much fluid in your lungs — a condition called pulmonary edema — oxygen can’t move from your lungs into your blood. The body doesn’t get enough oxygen. If it comes on suddenly, it’s an emergency. If it’s chronic, you’ll have trouble breathing while lying down, and it may wake you up at night.
- Pulmonary embolism. This is a blood clot that travels through your bloodstream from another part of your body and gets stuck in the lungs. It causes shortness of breath.
- Lung cancer. It causes chronic coughs, worsening shortness of breath, wheezing, and more.
Home treatment for breathing problems
Avoiding triggers is the main way to control breathing problems caused by allergies and asthma. To avoid triggers:
- Wear a mask when doing housework or yard work.
- Limit contact with furry pets.
- Wash bed linens at least once a week.
- Stay indoors during peak pollen times.
- Change the filter on your air conditioner often.
Other things you can do at home to improve your breathing:
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery.
- Practice breathing exercises , such as pursed-lip breathing.
- Be physically active to strengthen your heart and lungs.
- Quit smoking or avoid secondhand smoke.
Credit: webmd
