Breathing Problems

Summary

When you’re short of breath, it’s hard or uncomfortable for you to take in the oxygen your body needs. You may feel as if you’re not getting enough air. Sometimes you can have mild breathing problems because of a stuffy nose or intense exercise. But shortness of breath can also be a sign of a serious disease.

Many conditions can make you feel short of breath:

• Lung conditions such as asthma, emphysema, or pneumonia
• Problems with your trachea or bronchi, which are part of your airway system
• Heart disease can make you feel breathless if your heart cannot pump enough blood to supply oxygen to your body
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Allergies

If you often have trouble breathing, it is important to find out the cause.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Find an Expert

• American Lung Association American Lung Association
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Patient Handouts

• Blood gases Medical Encyclopedia
• Breath sounds Medical Encyclopedia
• Breathing difficulty Medical Encyclopedia
• Breathing difficulty – lying down Medical Encyclopedia
• How to breathe when you are short of breath Medical Encyclopedia
• How to Properly Put On and Take Off a Disposable Respirator Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pulmonary function tests Medical Encyclopedia
• Rapid shallow breathing Medical Encyclopedia
• Wheezing Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Blood Oxygen Level National Library of Medicine
• Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) National Library of Medicine
• Lung Function Tests National Library of Medicine
• Respiratory Pathogens Panel National Library of Medicine
• Shortness of Breath American Academy of Family Physicians
• Spirometry American Lung Association
• Spirometry Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Sputum Culture National Library of Medicine
• Tests for Lung Disease National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• V/Q Scan National Library of Medicine
• Wheezing Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Encyclopedia

• Breath – holding spell Medical Encyclopedia
• Breathing Medical Encyclopedia
• Breathing – slowed or stopped Medical Encyclopedia
• Breathing difficulties – first aid Medical Encyclopedia
• Bronchiectasis Medical Encyclopedia
• Bronchoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
• Chest CT Medical Encyclopedia
• Gas exchange Medical Encyclopedia
• Home apnea monitor use – infants Medical Encyclopedia
• Hyperventilation Medical Encyclopedia
• Intercostal retractions Medical Encyclopedia
• Nasal flaring Medical Encyclopedia
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) Medical Encyclopedia
• Palliative care – shortness of breath Medical Encyclopedia
• Primary alveolar hypoventilation Medical Encyclopedia
• Stridor Medical Encyclopedia
• Tracheomalacia – acquired Medical Encyclopedia
• Tracheomalacia – congenital Medical Encyclopedia
• Transient tachypnea – newborn Medical Encyclopedia
• Traveling with breathing problems Medical Encyclopedia
• Turbinate surgery Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Breath-Holding Spells Nemours Foundation
• Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN) Nemours Foundation

Start Here

• Breathlessness American Thoracic Society
• How Your Body Controls Breathing National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Shortness of Breath Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Shortness of Breath American Heart Association
• Shortness of Breath American Academy of Family Physicians

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Dyspnea National Institutes of Health

Related Issues

• Dyspnea during Advanced Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome Scoliosis Research Society

Older Adults

• Eldercare at Home: Breathing Problems AGS Health in Aging Foundation

Specifics

• Hypoxemia (Low Blood Oxygen) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Living With

• Minimizing Shortness of Breath National Jewish Health
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Shortness of Breath and Eating National Jewish Health

Journal Articles

• Breathing Problems