When there is not enough air - the causes of shortness of breath and how to deal with it. Causes of shortness of breath: advice from a general practitioner What to do if shortness of breath torments

10.03.2019

Everyone has shortness of breath and other symptoms. Consider examples of breathing problems, what diseases provoke difficulty breathing and how to avoid it in the future.

What does it express

Shortness of breath can be varied. Sometimes it is very short-lived, but it also happens that it is hard to breathe all the time. Sometimes shortness of breath manifests itself in a mild form, and we almost do not feel it, and sometimes it becomes very difficult to breathe. Panic, loss of consciousness and other unpleasant factors of such attacks can greatly ruin a person's life. Not to mention that this may indicate a serious illness and the need for treatment as soon as possible.

Types and nature of shortness of breath

If you suddenly find it difficult to breathe, then this means a lack of oxygen in the lungs. In this case, shortness of breath itself is of three types:

Difficulty inhaling;
Difficulty exhaling;
Mixed type.

In the latter case, these can be symptoms of a variety of diseases. And if it suddenly becomes difficult for you to breathe, the reasons can be both physical and psychological. Difficulty inhaling may indicate the need for treatment for heart disease. If it is difficult to exhale, then the problem may be in the lungs.

When to see a doctor

We can all experience shortness of breath at one time or another. For example, running, holding your breath or climbing stairs. If you are not very easy to breathe in this case, then there is nothing to worry about. It is unlikely that these could be symptoms of some disease. The only wake-up call may be that it takes less and less effort to start shortness of breath. This may be a signal, for example, to reduce weight.

In all other cases, it may be a sign that you need treatment, and as soon as possible. After all, sometimes shortness of breath is the cause of serious problems in the body and only a doctor can find out why it happens. Do not aggravate the course of the disease and be sure to find time for examination and testing. But what exactly can we deal with in this case?

Panic attack and menopause

If it suddenly becomes very difficult for you to breathe, and to such an extent that it is just right to panic, then you may have been unlucky enough to survive this attack. The sensation, let's say to you, is the most unpleasant and consists not only of shortness of breath. Symptoms in this case can even resemble a heart attack, which can further increase panic.

In this case, it is imperative to call an ambulance. Urgently undergo an examination to make sure that the problem is really psychological. Only then start treatment. The difficulty is that many doctors simply cannot diagnose a panic attack and shrug their shoulders, not understanding why the person became ill.

Menopause in women after 45 years is often accompanied by so-called "tides". The symptoms of this condition also include shortness of breath. The severity of hot flashes can vary depending on the weather, human psychology, and body characteristics. Some women don't even notice it. For others, panic states are constantly present, exhausting day and night. It is recommended to consult a doctor and conduct hormone therapy, selected individually.

Heart problems

A number of heart problems have symptoms such as shortness of breath. Here are a few of them:

cardiac asthma

It often manifests itself at night, when it becomes very difficult to breathe. Paleness, lethargy, and wheezing when breathing may be accompanied by fainting. An ambulance is needed as well as a complete examination. But the treatment, fortunately, in this case is very successful.

Cardiac ischemia.

Most often, shortness of breath, coupled with pain in the left side of the chest, accompanies it. If you feel bad, then you need to call an ambulance and do a cardiogram, as a heart attack is possible. Further examination by a cardiologist is required. If it was possible to help quickly and the age is young enough, then it is possible that you will not have to go to the hospital.

Congestive heart failure.

It happens that shortness of breath constantly appears when lying down, but in a sitting position it disappears. This may just be due to heart failure, but its symptoms are rather mild, which makes diagnosis and treatment difficult.

Lung problems

The lungs are responsible for breathing, so it is quite logical that shortness of breath is often associated with them. Like cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases are extremely diverse and it is up to the doctor to figure out exactly why breathing is difficult.

The most common cause is bronchial asthma, which is recorded in many people. If there is a problem with inhalation, then such symptoms mean clogging of the bronchi or pulmonary alveoli with mucus. Diseases such as pleurisy or tumors are just characterized by such shortness of breath. Treatment in this case should be started immediately, as the disease is life-threatening. It is important not to delay here, so if it becomes difficult for you to breathe, you need to be examined immediately.

Thromboembolism

Another case where it becomes difficult to breathe due to lung problems is pulmonary embolism. Unlike many of the cases above, which can happen all the time and are often tolerated, in the case of blockage of the pulmonary artery, it will not be tolerated. A hard cough, a blue face, an acute lack of air, panic and a semi-conscious state are the symptoms of this ailment. And the second name is very scary - lung infarction. Help is needed immediately.

Obesity

It is not in vain that we bring excess weight along with other diseases. This is a disease and it needs treatment. In addition to pain in the knees, damage to blood vessels by cholesterol and other troubles, shortness of breath also enters into the problems of excess weight. If you are out of breath because you have gone through several steps or from doing any other minor physical work, then this greatly spoils life.

Conclusion

The lungs are one of the most important components of the body, and problems with them can turn into great difficulties in life. Moreover, symptoms such as shortness of breath and other breathing problems can be the result of serious problems in other organs. Therefore, it is not worth relying on Russian maybe in this case.

The medical name for shortness of breath is dyspnea. International classifiers distinguish two main types of such a state:

Tachypnea - rapid shallow breathing with a respiratory rate of more than 20 per minute.
Bradypnea is a decrease in respiratory function with a slowing of the respiratory rate to 12 or less movements per minute.

According to the time interval and intensity of the course of shortness of breath, there are three main subspecies of dyspnea:

Acute (from a couple of minutes to hours).
Subacute (from several hours to a couple of days).
Chronic (from 3-5 days to several years).

Shortness of breath is a typical symptom of heart failure - this clinical syndrome is characterized by abnormalities in the work of SJS, poor blood supply to the tissues / organs of the system and, ultimately, myocardial damage.

In addition to shortness of breath, a patient with heart failure feels very tired, he has swelling and significantly reduced physical activity. Stagnation of blood due to a weakened heart muscle provokes hypoxia, acidosis and other negative manifestations in metabolism.

If you suspect heart failure, you should immediately contact a cardiologist and take measures to maximally quickly stabilize hemodynamics, from increasing blood pressure and normalizing the heart rhythm to stopping pain - often, heart failure causes.

Physiological - strong physical activity.
Cardiac - pulmonary edema, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, cardiac arrhythmias, myxomas, cardiomyopathy, heart defects, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure.
Respiratory - epiglottitis, allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, atelectasis and pneumothorax, enphysema, tuberculosis, COPD, poisoning with various gases, kyphoscoliosis, interstitial diseases, pneumonia, lung obstruction, cancer.
Vascular - thromboembolism, primary hypertension, vasculitis, arterial-venous aneurysms.
Neuromuscular - lateral sclerosis, paralysis of the diaphragmatic nerve, myasthenia gravis.
Other causes are ascites, thyroid problems, anemia, dysfunction of the respiratory system, metabolic spectrum acidosis, uremia, dysfunction of the vocal chords, preural effusions, pericardium, hyperventilation syndromes.
Other circumstances.

Symptoms

Symptoms of shortness of breath can be varied, but in any case associated with a violation of the normal rhythm of the respiratory function. In particular, the depth and frequency of respiratory contractions noticeably change, from a sharp increase in respiratory rate to its decrease to zero. Subjectively, the patient feels an acute lack of air, tries to breathe deeper or vice versa, as superficially as possible.

In the case of inspiratory dyspnea, it is difficult to inhale, and the process of getting air into the lungs is accompanied by noise. With expiratory shortness of breath, it is much more difficult to exhale, as the lumen of the bronchioles and the smallest particles of the bronchi are narrowed. Mixed type of dyspnea is the most dangerous and often causes complete cessation of breathing.

The main diagnostic measures are the most rapid assessment of the current clinical picture in the patient, as well as the study of the history of the disease. After that, additional studies are assigned (from x-rays and ultrasound to tomograms, tests, etc.) and referrals to highly specialized specialists are issued. Most often, they are a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and a neuropathologist.

Since shortness of breath can be caused by a huge number of a wide variety of reasons, its treatment is selected only after the correct determination of the exact diagnosis through a comprehensive diagnosis of possible problems.

Conservative and medical treatment

Below are the typical causes of shortness of breath and how to deal with them.

In the presence of a foreign body, it is removed using the Heimlich technique, in extreme cases, a surgical method is used, in particular tracheostomy.
In bronchial asthma - selective beta-agonists (Salbutamol), intravenous administration of aminophylline.
Left ventricular failure - narcotic analgesics, diuretics, venous vesodilators (Nitroglycerin).
The absence of visible causes or the impossibility of differential diagnosis with severe shortness of breath at the prehospital stage - Lasix.
The neurogenic nature of the symptom is breathing exercises, intravenous Diazepam.
Obstructions - taking anxiolytics, direct oxygen administration, non-invasive respiratory support, surgical reduction (for enphysema), creating a positive vector of pressure on inhalation and exhalation in the patient.

Treatment of shortness of breath folk remedies

The following measures will help reduce the frequency and intensity of dyspnea attacks:

Hot goat's milk on an empty stomach - 1 cup with a dessert spoon of honey, three times a day for the 1st week.
Dry dill in the amount of 2 teaspoons / glass, brew with boiling water, strain, cool for half an hour and take warm ½ cup three times a day for two weeks.
Take a liter of flower honey, Scroll ten peeled small heads of garlic in a meat grinder and squeeze the juice of ten lemons. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, place under a closed lid in a jar for a week. Consume 4 teaspoons. spoons once a day, preferably in the morning and on an empty stomach for two months.

What to do and where to go if shortness of breath appears?

First of all - don't panic! Carefully examine your condition for the presence of other symptoms - if dyspnea is accompanied by pain in the heart or a region close to it, and there is also a fainting state, the skin turns blue, and auxiliary muscle groups, for example, intercostal, pectoral, cervical, also participate in the breathing process, then an ambulance should be called immediately, as shortness of breath can be of a cardiovascular or pulmonary nature.

In other cases, try to temporarily avoid strong physical exertion and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, make an appointment with a therapist or pulmonologist. Specialists will conduct an initial assessment of the state of health, write out referrals for diagnostic measures, or ask additional doctors (cardiologist, vascular surgeon, oncologist, neurologist) to go through.

Useful video

Shortness of breath is a dangerous symptom

How easy is it to get rid of shortness of breath?

Almost every person knows that feeling when, when running or walking up to a high floor, it seems like there is not enough breath. However, there are situations when even when walking or even at rest, shortness of breath and lack of air occur. The reasons why it becomes difficult to breathe even with a slight exertion can be very serious.

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a violation of the frequency of breathing, which is usually accompanied by a feeling of acute lack of air. This condition is characterized by the following features:

rapid and noisy breathing;
suffocation;
change in the depth of exhalation and inhalation.

Such symptoms can pose a great danger to health, because they often accompany many serious diseases.

Types of shortness of breath

Experts distinguish three main types of shortness of breath:

inspiratory - violation of inhalation, the difficulty of passing air through the upper respiratory section;
expiratory - violation of exhalation due to narrowing or blockage of the lower parts of the pulmonary system;
mixed - problems with inhalation and exhalation due to a decrease in the respiratory surface of the lungs.

Based on the diagnosis of patients, it is also customary to distinguish 5 possible degrees of dyspnea:

0 - only with strong physical exertion;
1 - when walking fast or lifting up;
2 - with normal movement and insignificant loads;
3 - even with a calm walk, every 2-3 minutes a person needs rest;
4 - shortness of breath and lack of air appear in a state of complete rest.

In some cases, a person experiencing breathing difficulties needs prompt hospitalization, a full examination and appropriate therapy.

Possible reasons

The appearance of a feeling that it is difficult to breathe, there is not enough air, noisy breathing without any exertion should be the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor. Science knows quite a lot of different pathological conditions in which dyspnea can manifest itself. Depending on the causes of shortness of breath, all of them can be conditionally combined into three main groups:

diseases of the bronchi and lungs;
cardiovascular pathologies;
anemia.

Shortness of breath in lung diseases

Acute lack of air is often caused by various pulmonary and bronchial pathologies. The "mechanics" of oxygen supply can be complicated by diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, emphysema, and even spinal curvature.

The appearance of shortness of breath in people suffering from such ailments usually develops along with severe weakness, a hysterical cough, and sometimes bloody sputum.

Principles of treatment of dyspnea in pulmonary diseases:

therapy of the underlying disease;
maintaining the patency of the respiratory tract;
reducing the load on the bronchi and lungs.

Among the mandatory medicines should be antibiotics, expectorants, drugs that increase the concentration of oxygen in the blood. As an additional therapy, chest massage, oxygen-helium inhalations and artificial ventilation of the lungs are used.

Shortness of breath in cardiovascular pathologies

Dyspnea is one of the main complaints that occurs in those suffering from diseases of the heart or blood vessels. In people with such ailments, it is usually accompanied by severe fatigue, swelling of the limbs, blue areas of the body and impaired pulse.

Often asthma attacks can occur even at night (a similar condition is also known under the term "cardiac asthma"). But most often the patient is tormented by shortness of breath and palpitations. The reasons in this case can be very different: a jump in blood pressure, myocardial infarction, tachycardia, pulmonary embolism, etc.

Treatment of dyspnea that has arisen against the background of cardiovascular diseases should be carried out in the following areas:

decrease in the level of venous pressure;
stimulation of heart contractions;
an increase in the amount of blood ejected during contraction.

The main groups of drugs used are opioids, vasodilators, nitrates, cardiac glycosides, catecholamines, furosemide and defoamers. In some cases, the patient may require oxygen therapy and even mechanical ventilation.

Shortness of breath with anemia

The development of anemia is noted after infectious diseases, frequent bleeding, with cancer, and even in vegetarians. As a result of changes in the composition of the blood, the level of hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells fall significantly, which, in turn, affects the transport of oxygen to the lungs.

With anemia, a person feels severe weakness, dizziness, loss of strength, headaches, loss of appetite and sleep, and symptoms such as shortness of breath and lack of air appear. Treatment in this case can be prescribed only according to the results of a general blood test. The main principles of therapy are the elimination of the underlying disease and the restoration of the level of hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the blood.

Shortness of breath with other diseases

Breathing complications can also be caused by such unpleasant ailments as:

metabolic disorders and obesity;
thyrotoxicosis;
diabetes;
neurotic disorders.

In each of these cases, the patient requires complex treatment and constant monitoring by a specialized specialist. Only after the elimination of the main cause, it becomes possible to get rid of unpleasant attacks.

Folk remedies for shortness of breath

in 1 kg of honey, add the juice of 10 lemons and 10 heads of garlic, passed through a press. Mix until smooth, place in a glass jar and leave in a cool place for 24 days. Take 1 tsp. at bedtime for 2 months;
0.5 kg of onion, grated, mixed with 0.5 tbsp. sugar, 100 ml beetroot and 300 ml carrot juice. Cook covered for 3 hours. Take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day before meals;
1 st. l. strawberry leaves brew 2 tbsp. boiling water, insist for an hour. Drink in equal parts throughout the day.

The appearance of the patient can provide a lot of information in terms of establishing a diagnosis. Shortness of breath, being a fairly noticeable symptom that is visible to the "naked eye", often orients the doctor to the suspicion that something is wrong with the lungs. However, other diseases (cardiovascular pathology, diseases of the endocrine and nervous system, etc.) cannot be discounted, since dyspnea, as such a disorder of respiratory function is also called, is characteristic of a very wide range of pathological conditions.

Shortness of breath shortness of breath - discord

Yes, indeed, the common name does not define the same nature of this disorder, so clarifying the individual "symptoms" of shortness of breath in most cases helps to find out its origin at the first stages of the search. Thus, in clinical practice, the following types of dyspnea have been formed:

If the respiratory disorder is expressed in its increase, then they talk about tachypnea. This type is widely known and familiar to many due to the fact that it is a constant companion of febrile conditions in any infectious processes and hematological diseases. Frequent and deep breathing is denoted by the terms hyperpnea and polypnea;
Rare breathing movements are called bradypnea, which may indicate brain damage and hypoxia as a consequence of these lesions. Rare shallow breathing is called oligopnea;
Apnea(respiratory arrest) can be fixed by observing a sleeping person who has a change in the functional properties of the respiratory system due to various acquired diseases, mainly age-related (COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). That is why snoring is not considered so harmless, since it is primarily the culprit of sleep apnea. People suffering from heart disease do not tolerate a strictly horizontal position, some time after falling asleep they experience orthopnea(lying down leads to difficulty breathing), so many people prefer to sleep half-sitting on high pillows.

symptoms of heart failure accompanying shortness of breath

A factor such as difficulty inhaling or exhaling underlies the division of dyspnea into:

Inspiratory dyspnea, characterized labored breathing. It is characteristic (cardiac shortness of breath) and lesions of the respiratory organs (upper respiratory tract, trachea, large bronchi, pleura, diaphragm) and indicates their poor patency, which can be caused by:

bronchospasm,
swelling of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract,
foreign body,
accumulation of pathological secretion,
developmental anomalies,
tumors that compress the airways,
abscesses, etc.

expiratory dyspnea, indicating obstacles that impede the patency of small bronchi and caused by bronchospasm due to narrowing of the bronchioles, accumulation of secretions in them and swelling of the mucous membrane. Expiratory shortness of breath accompanies diseases such as bronchial asthma, bronchiolitis;

the cause of non-cardiac expiratory dyspnea is the narrowing of the bronchial tubes, in particular in asthma

Mixed type of shortness of breath is a characteristic sign of parenchymal acute respiratory failure (ARF).

Obviously, the most common cause of dyspnea is broncho-pulmonary pathology, ranging from childhood laryngospasm to acute respiratory failure and pulmonary edema. Of course, other diseases will also appear on this list (bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumosclerosis), leading to COPD and, accordingly, to chronic respiratory failure.

Treatment of each type of dyspnea should be aimed at eliminating or reducing the negative impact of the underlying disease, a symptom of which is shortness of breath.

Why is there not enough air if everything is fine with the heart?

Shortness of breath in heart failure is very characteristic and is associated mainly with organic lesions of the organs of the cardiovascular system, it is predominantly inspiratory nature, that is, it manifests itself on inspiration. Cardiac shortness of breath, in general, is the prerogative of old age, although not only in severe cases, but also with it, it can easily be present in a child. Especially if the child is a vagotonic who is influenced by or.

In addition, the causes of shortness of breath can be hidden behind many other pathological conditions that give symptoms of suffocation and lack of air, but are not associated with a violation of cardiac activity. For example, a fairly common disease of childhood - stenosis of the larynx (laryngospasm) causes significant respiratory distress (inspiratory dyspnea), which can quickly lead to death if medical attention does not arrive in time. However, everything is in order.

Psychogenic and physiological factors that provoke shortness of breath

Often shortness of breath is formed under the influence psychogenic factors or physiological:

Neuroses, panic attacks, fears and anxieties, along with various autonomic disorders (sweating,) are also accompanied by a feeling of "unexpected breathlessness". Such a phenomenon is called respiratory distress syndrome in which patients are not satisfied with their respiratory system. They note shortness of breath when talking when they are very excited, yawning, coughing and sighing, which they cannot get rid of, although they take some measures. However, it is obvious that until such people are able to withstand psycho-emotional stress, dyspnea will not disappear anywhere. Psychovegetative syndrome, which occurs against the background of vegetative-vascular crises, which occasionally leads to the patient's VVD, can only be stopped by drugs aimed at treatment - vegetative-vascular;
Obesity (even alimentary-constitutional) can cause shortness of breath already at a young age. And, if at first young, but obese people do not experience discomfort when walking (the young heart can still cope), then during physical exertion, excess weight will certainly affect, causing a feeling of suffocation and lack of air;
Fever of any origin is manifested by superficial rapid breathing (tachypnea);
Syndrome of postviral asthenia, which is formed a month or two after a viral infection;
Deformed chest as a result of curvature of the spine or for other reasons;
During pregnancy, especially in the later stages, of course, shortness of breath can be expected, because the woman's body begins to work for two, and the load is still considerable, since it is necessary to provide the baby with all the necessary nutrients. In addition, the weight gained due to the fetus does not add lightness, and the stretched uterus occupies a significant space and interferes with free respiratory movements, so pregnant women permanently feel a lack of air, know how it smells, and practically cannot be in stuffy, poorly ventilated rooms ;
Shortness of breath can occur after eating, which is not at all surprising, because a full stomach begins to put pressure on the diaphragm and prevents it from fully participating in the act of breathing. Is it true , in healthy people, this quickly passes, but patients should especially dwell on this point and take into account that it is harmful to overeat during episodes of shortness of breath;
Staying in the highlands causes a feeling of lack of air, so climbers, who love mountains so much, are well aware of the influence of climatic conditions;
Respiratory failure is also noted by weather-dependent patients, mainly people suffering from various autonomic disorders (NCD);
Excessive physical and psycho-emotional stress, running long distances without training and other sports and strength activities will certainly end in severe shortness of breath, which in some cases may take a long time to restore breathing.

Physiological conditions such as pregnancy, sports or overeating one way or another soon pass, but with psychophysiological factors things are a bit more complicated, since there is a possibility that such a condition can lead to psychosomatic diseases which are often diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Heart disease and shortness of breath

Cardiac dyspnea can have a different mechanism of occurrence.

On the first path there are changes associated initially with the pathology of the respiratory organs and later the involvement of the circulatory system. Increasing hypoxia contributes to the deposition of collagen in the lung tissue and the development of pneumosclerosis, which, in turn, leads to even greater hypoxia, which aggravates it. The vicious circle closes with the formation of irreversible processes.

It becomes incredibly difficult for the right ventricle to push blood into the pulmonary circulation under such conditions. First, the right ventricle of the heart, in order to somehow cope and compensate for blood circulation. However, since the cardiac and respiratory systems are inseparable, over time the right section expands. As a result of such changes, the stage of decompensation of cardiac activity begins with the development cardiopulmonary (right ventricular) insufficiency called "cor pulmonale". Such a condition is often a provocateur of rhythm disturbance with the development and flickering .

Second way the formation of dyspnea is directly related to diseases of the cardiovascular system. And so that the reader understands the mechanism, it can be displayed in the diagram:

Difficulty returning blood from lungs to left atrium

Increasing pressure in the small circle and development

Circulatory disorder in the lungs, which leads to fluid stagnation, impaired ventilation and, consequently, respiratory activity ( left ventricular failure).

The cause of shortness of breath is heart problems

Almost all pathology of the cardiovascular system, leading to heart failure, is accompanied by inspiratory dyspnea, and then of a mixed type:

(AH) and (IHD) in the elderly, giving "small" signs of congestive heart failure in the form of shortness of breath and suffocation. And since there is a clear correlation between hypertension and overweight, in obese patients with constantly high blood pressure, shortness of breath occurs not only when walking and physical exertion, but quite often appears at rest and at night. Such people sleep anxiously, and their sleep is continually interrupted by apnea;
The asthmatic variant of myocardial infarction (and myocardial infarction itself), as a rule, has all the manifestations of left ventricular failure and proceeds with noisy breathing, coughing, shortness of breath and suffocation;
Valvular defects, myocarditis, chronic aneurysm of the heart and other heart lesions complicated by left ventricular failure, accompanies dyspnea (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea);
Cardiac asthma, giving the patient much suffering;
Pulmonary edema. Unfortunately, it often leads to death, therefore, it requires emergency resuscitation;
(pulmonary embolism) is a most dangerous condition that cannot even exist without symptoms such as lack of air and suffocation, since it leads to the development acute respiratory failure, developing as a result bronchospasm.

How to treat shortness of breath?

Before you start fighting shortness of breath, you should not run to the pharmacy and buy pills that a neighbor advised. To get started you need:

Quit the bad habit of smoking if you smoke;
Reduce weight if it is in excess;
Adjust if present in abnormal figures.

To determine the cause of the respiratory disorder, you will also need to undergo an examination, which includes:

Biochemical blood test;
R-graphy of the chest;
Analysis of the function of external respiration.

Unfortunately, not every type of shortness of breath can be cured, basically, it all depends on the causes that gave rise to it. Of course, rapid shallow breathing at high temperatures (influenza, SARS) will go away when the condition returns to normal, although it is known that bronchitis is a common complication of influenza infection, which also causes respiratory dysfunction and requires quite lengthy therapeutic measures.

To treat children's laryngospasms, which the child usually "outgrows" by the age of 4, use distraction therapy (mustard plasters), antispasmodics (nosh-pa), anticholinergics (platifillin), antihistamines (claritin, fenistil, pipolfen) and glucocorticoids. The latter are used in emergency cases when the attack has gone too far.

Medications that dilate the bronchi, expectorate and reduce the load on the heart help relieve shortness of breath with respiratory failure:

β-agonists (salbutamol, clenbuterol, berotek);
M-anticholinergics (atrovent, berodual);
Methylxanthines (eufillin, theophylline) of prolonged action (teopec, teotard);
Inhaled glucocorticoids, which are used primarily to treat severe shortness of breath in case of bronchial asthma;
Medications that thin sputum and promote its evacuation (bromhexine, mukaltin, ACC, ambraxol);
Peripheral vasodilators (- nifedipine, nitrates - nitrosorbitol, ACE inhibitors, which are especially effective in pulmonary hypertension - captopril, enalapril);
(furosemide, veroshpiron, diakarb, hypothiazide), which reduce congestion;
Antispasmodics (nosh-pa, papaverine).

In addition to drug treatment, oxygen therapy with humidified oxygen, physiotherapy, and breathing exercises are successfully used to regulate respiratory function.

For shortness of breath when walking, indicating COPD, the treatment of which is very difficult due to the irreversible changes that have occurred, the above schemes are also applied.

Treatment of cardiac dyspnea with folk remedies is very common among patients, since respiratory failure lasts for years, causes a lot of trouble, proceeds painfully and significantly reduces the quality of human life. Help with shortness of breath is provided by medicines growing in forests, vegetable gardens and meadows. The principle of action of medicinal herbs is similar to the effect of synthetic drugs (bronchodilator and expectorant), however, as you know, they are mostly harmless and do not have as many side effects. In addition, many pharmaceutical preparations are produced on the basis of the healing properties of plants. So why not try to make a medicine at home, which at least for a while (at first!) Will help get rid of shortness of breath, so intrusive and unpleasant?

The roots of cyanosis, licorice, lovage, peppermint and yarrow herbs, bean pods are great for self-production of medicines.
A little-known recipe from aloe leaves (you can take it on the windowsill), infused for 10 days on vodka, relieves any cough and shortness of breath. To do this, a teaspoon of the infusion taken is flavored with a tablespoon of honey, a pause of 10 minutes is maintained and washed down with a glass of hot tea.

On the use of garlic with honey and lemon for the treatment of cardiac shortness of breath, it is better to ask your doctor, but if he gives his go-ahead, you can try the following recipes:

Make a slurry of 10 squeezed lemons (use juice) and 10 heads of garlic, add this mixture to a liter jar of honey, close and forget for a week. Take 4 teaspoons, savoring and swallowing slowly. They say that in 2 months you can achieve good results.
And if you take the juice of 24 lemons, add garlic gruel (350 gr.), Infuse for a day and drink a teaspoon, having previously dissolved it in ½ cup of water? People who have tried the medicine on themselves claim that after 2 weeks you can run and dance, feeling a second youth.

Sadly, but folk remedies for cardiac shortness of breath will help for the time being, so you should not completely rely on them. The cause of shortness of breath still remains, the disease progresses and it will still have to be treated. And in this case, to do without the help of a doctor will not work.

Video: shortness of breath in the program “About the most important thing”

The occurrence of constant shortness of breath while walking brings a lot of discomfort to the life of every person. After all, shortness of breath, which occurs during the onset of shortness of breath, adversely affects the functioning of all systems and organs in the human body.

With age, shortness of breath that occurs in a person when walking can cause diseases. In addition, it should be noted that the appearance of shortness of breath in a person can also indicate the occurrence of various kinds of chronic diseases or a deterioration in health.

Main symptoms

In humans, shortness of breath can occur suddenly, and it can be chronic or paroxysmal. In some people, shortness of breath appears occasionally, while it also suddenly appears and disappears. Significant symptoms of shortness of breath include:

the appearance of whistles or wheezing during breathing;
the occurrence of a sharp lack of air;
disturbed rhythm, as well as depth during breathing.

When shortness of breath occurs, a person begins to turn pale sharply, and his lips turn blue. If this ailment has a chronic form, then in this case, a person has difficulty breathing even when he is in a calm state or in a prone position. In order to determine the form of shortness of breath (chronic, paroxysmal), it is necessary to analyze the frequency of breaths and compare it with the frequency of exhalations.

If the breathing rhythm is strongly deviated from the normal rate, then this most likely indicates the appearance of chronic shortness of breath in a person. The occurrence of shortness of breath can be triggered by such external stimuli and factors as:

Walking.
Physical exercise.
Wrong posture during night rest.

The main cause of shortness of breath while walking is associated with disorders in the cardiovascular system. The fact is that while walking, the coronary vascular system does not have time to properly supply blood, which is saturated with oxygen, to the myocardium. In addition, one of the causes of shortness of breath in a person when walking may be the presence of such an ailment as heart disease or excessive thinning of the walls of blood vessels. As a result of the occurrence of these ailments, a lack of oxygen can begin in the body, which, in turn, can provoke the development of oxygen starvation while walking and, as a result, become the main cause of shortness of breath.

A little physical activity on the body is a daily necessity. However, if, in the case of even the slightest physical exertion, a person begins to have attacks of shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of air, then this may indicate the occurrence of a pathology. Such a pathology in a person appears due to violations in the work of the respiratory or heart organs. For example, due to the occurrence of such a pathology, it becomes difficult for a person to climb stairs. After all, even with such an insignificant physical load, the respiratory organs and the heart (in the presence of pathologies) do not have time to saturate the body with oxygen, which leads to shortness of breath or can even cause loss of consciousness.

Causes of the disease

Attacks of shortness of breath that occur while walking can provoke a variety of diseases. It is possible to determine the type and classify the disease that provokes a lack of oxygen in the body by analyzing the frequency of inhaled and exhaled air. Each disease that causes shortness of breath has a specific designation and symptoms. In this regard, shortness of breath is of several types.

Shortness of breath of the pulmonary type can provoke the onset of bronchial asthma. Quite often, it appears due to bronchitis or with the appearance of allergic swelling of the bronchi. Symptoms of this form of shortness of breath are expressed in the appearance of whistling and wheezing sounds during exhalation. However, with pulmonary dyspnea, unlike cardiac dyspnea, a person can rest peacefully at night without asthma attacks.
Cardiac shortness of breath can occur in a person as a result of mitral stenosis or due to the appearance of such an ailment as heart failure. As a result of the appearance of these pathologies, serious disturbances occur in the circulatory system, due to which a disorder begins, and malfunctions in the functioning of the respiratory system appear. The main signs of this type of shortness of breath are:

Orthopnea. It may appear due to left atrial insufficiency. After the appearance of this disease, a person tries to constantly stay in a horizontal position to alleviate his condition.

Polypnoea. Appears due to excessive blood flow to the heart muscle. As a rule, occurs against the background of acute heart failure. The main signs are an increased frequency and a greatly increased depth of breathing, which quite often leads to the so-called hyperventilation in the lungs.

Hematogenous shortness of breath may occur due to the entry of toxins into the blood stream. The cause of such intoxication of the body can be the appearance of such ailments as diabetes mellitus, liver disease. When this type of shortness of breath occurs in a person, even in the case of a slight load, breathing becomes significantly faster, it begins to become noisier.

Methods of treatment

For the correct and most effective treatment of this disease, it is necessary to correctly establish the cause of its occurrence in a person. To do this, it is necessary to make a comprehensive examination of the whole organism, which should be aimed at identifying all diseases and pathologies in the body, which may be the main cause of the symptoms of shortness of breath.

Attention! In order to get rid of such a pathological condition as shortness of breath, it is necessary to ensure normal ventilation and air flow into the lungs. In order to achieve this, first of all, the patient himself must make considerable efforts. First of all, when symptoms of shortness of breath appear, you need to abandon such a harmful habit as smoking, lead a more active lifestyle, walk more often in the fresh air and gradually load the body with physical activity.

During the treatment of such a disease as orthopnea, which significantly complicates the breathing of a person who is even in a calm state, for example, in a horizontal position, immunotherapy is performed. Also, in the treatment of this disease, the use of ultrasonic inhalation sanitation is very effective. To treat this type of shortness of breath, you need:

eliminate foci of infection in the body and in the respiratory system;
increase the resistance of the immune system;
lead to a normal state of the gastrointestinal tract;
to carry out energy activation of the whole organism.

If the main cause of shortness of breath is infectious diseases of the respiratory system, then in this case it is necessary to use medications. However, it should be noted that only a qualified specialist can correctly prescribe drugs. In this case, self-medication and self-medication is not only harmful, but also dangerous to health.

For the treatment of shortness of breath, which may occur due to a disease such as bronchospasm, medications are used that have a long and short period of exposure. Short-term drugs include salbutamol. It is produced in the form of inhalers, tablets and solutions. Long-acting drugs include formoterol (capsule or inhaler) and salmeterol.

The use of alternative medicine in the treatment of dyspnea

Quite often, in order to eliminate or alleviate the symptoms of shortness of breath, the means of the so-called alternative or traditional medicine are used.

In most cases, in the treatment of shortness of breath, tinctures made from the inflorescence of hawthorn are used. To prepare such a tincture, you need to take 3 cups of hot water and pour about 150 grams of hawthorn flowers with it. Then the resulting tincture must be filtered and given a few hours so that it can brew. It should be taken in small doses, several times a day.
Effectively proved itself in the treatment of shortness of breath, such a remedy as an oil made from honey and a plant called juniper. To prepare it, you need to use about 130 grams of juniper cones, add 80 grams of butter and 180 grams of honey to it. The resulting mass must be steamed using a water bath. You can use this remedy daily, several tablespoons at a time.
Perhaps the simplest traditional medicine that can be used during the treatment of shortness of breath is lilac. To prepare such a remedy, you need to take some lilac flowers (one tablespoon will be enough), and pour them with 250 milliliters of boiling water. It is necessary to take such a tincture 4 times in one day, 2 tablespoons each. It is recommended to use this remedy on an empty stomach, at least half an hour before a meal.

Prevention of shortness of breath

In order not to have such a problem as shortness of breath when walking in the future, you need to follow a few rules that will help prevent its occurrence. After all, as you know, any disease is much easier to prevent than to treat it later.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such a condition as shortness of breath, you need to monitor your psycho-emotional state. Try to always keep it in good condition.
It is also very important to lead a healthy lifestyle, stop drinking alcoholic beverages, large amounts of caffeine, fatty foods. Quitting tobacco significantly minimizes the possibility of shortness of breath and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in a person.
In addition, to prevent the occurrence of such a pathology as shortness of breath, it is necessary to try to lead an active lifestyle. From time to time, within reasonable limits, load the body with various physical activities. It can be morning exercises, gymnastics or just long walks in the fresh air.
It is also very important to monitor your diet and weight. Excess weight can be one of the main causes of pathologies of the cardiovascular system. And these pathologies can in turn cause shortness of breath. In addition, to prevent the occurrence of this disease, it is necessary to constantly monitor the position of your body during rest (the contact angle of the head and pillow should be 40 degrees).
To prevent the occurrence of shortness of breath, you must also carefully monitor your diet. It is not recommended to use during cooking, salt in large quantities. Also, do not abuse smoked meats, fatty foods, caffeine. In case of shortness of breath, it is necessary to monitor the amount of water consumed. In this case, the daily rate of liquid consumed should not exceed one liter.