All of us, at least occasionally, but met with a feeling of acute lack of air, when it seems that the chest is squeezed, and there is no way to take a deep breath. This condition is defined as shortness of breath.
But it's one thing if it happens after heavy physical exertion: running,
dance marathon or weightlifting, and quite another - if you have shortness of breath when walking, from the heat or for no apparent reason at all.
What causes shortness of breath in normal he alth
Shortness of breath occurs when running or other physical exertion, when the body, trying to maintain the balance of oxygen in the blood, increases respiratory contractions. The signal to this is given by the brain, and we immediately have an urgent need to speed up the pace of inhalations and exhalations.
Sometimes shortness of breath provokes emotional stress: excitement, anger, anxiety. All this stimulates the production of adrenaline, and when it enters the bloodstream, it forces our body to drive more and more air through the lungs. Therefore, the stronger the emotional outburst, the stronger the feeling of lack of air.
Shortness of breath due to heart disease
Often, shortness of breath when walking is one of the signs of coronary heart disease. To this, as a rule, there is also pain in the left side of the chest. In heart failure, especially in the congestive form of the disease, breathing difficulties become a constant phenomenon. It is difficult for such patients to lie on their back due to lack of air. This phenomenon requires serious complex treatment.
And a particularly complex manifestation of problems in the cardiovascular system is cardiac asthma. These are asthma attacks that develop due to acute stagnation formed in the pulmonary circulation. They begin with a dry cough, breathing is accompanied by a groan and is very difficult, the face is covered with profuse sweat, the patient takes a forced position. These attacks last from several minutes to several hours and require medical attention.
Cardial shortness of breath usually causes blueness, hands and feet become cold, and with physical exertion, breathing difficulties increase.
Shortness of breath when walking indicates respiratory diseases
Respiratory system problems can also be causes of shortness of breath. So, with swelling of the respiratory tract, a large amount of sputum in the bronchi, tumors in the lungs, there are difficulties with inhalation.
During bronchitis, shortness of breath when walking can occur regardless of the severity
the course of the disease. Its treatment is carried out necessarily under the supervision of a doctor.
And with pneumonia, this symptom appears more often than with bronchitis, because this disease is accompanied by inflammation of the alveoli, which helps the blood to be saturated with oxygen.
Separately, bronchial asthma should be indicated, which is based on inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, which is of an allergic nature and causes a narrowing of their lumen. The appearance of this disease is accompanied by constant shortness of breath, which occurs not only when walking, but also for no reason. Bronchial asthma is characterized by difficulty exhaling, loud wheezing, swelling of the veins in the neck and swelling of the face. Attacks of suffocation with it can last the same as with cardiac asthma, up to several hours.
From the above, it is clear that shortness of breath that appears under unclear circumstances requires a mandatory referral to specialists, because it can be a sign of serious illness.
