Dyspnea
If you have ever felt that you cannot breathe enough air, you have experienced a medical condition known as dyspnea. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of health problems, often associated with heart or lung disease. But you can also experience temporary dyspnea after intense training.
Symptoms of dyspnea
The main symptom of dyspnea is shortness of breath. It can last a minute or two after strenuous activities. It can also be a chronic problem. You may feel that you are not getting enough air into your lungs. In severe cases, you may feel as if you are choking. Attacks of dyspnea can also lead to chest tightness.
Dyspnea that occurs after strenuous exercise is understandable. However, seek medical attention if any of the following occur:
- You lose your breath after activities that you have done without any problems.
- You begin to experience dyspnea without any explanation.
Emergency dyspnea treatment
Innovative emergency dyspnea system involves emergency cardiac service due to complications resulting from dyspnea:
- Urgent admission
- Complete diagnostics and examinations
- Observation of the condition
- Cardiac intervention
Emergency dyspnea department involves admission, cardiac examination, diagnosis and treatment in a very short period of time.
After examinations and tests, within two hours when all the results arrive, we will have a clear picture of your condition. It depends on whether you will be discharged home with therapy, keep you under observation and then you will be discharged home if the condition stabilizes, or you will be suggested urgent cardiac intervention.
Causes of dyspnea
If you’ve ever run, you know it’s going to take you a few minutes to catch your breath. You may have trouble breathing because you do not have enough oxygen to meet your body’s increased need. If you are healthy, your breathing will soon be easier. In a few minutes you will be breathing normally.
Exercise is usually the trigger for short-term dyspnea. If you are at a higher altitude and are not used to having less oxygen available, you may also experience temporary dyspnea. At extremely high altitudes, such as mountain peaks, “thinner” air can pose a real health hazard. Be sure to consult a climbing expert before making an ambitious high hike.
Dyspnea caused by health conditions covers a wide range of health problems. Although they should all be examined by a doctor, conditions that lead to sudden breathing should be treated as emergencies.
These conditions include:
- Heart failure
- Low blood pressure
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Stress or anxiety
You may also experience sudden dyspnea if a piece of food or other object blocks your airways. An injury that damages the lungs or causes rapid blood loss will also make breathing difficult.
When shortness of breath is not a sudden necessity, but a problem that lasts for at least four weeks, it is considered chronic. Examples of causes of chronic dyspnea include:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which covers emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Interstitial lung disease (scars of lung tissue)
- Poor physical condition
- Obesity
- Heart disease
Asthma can be both a chronic problem and a short-term emergency, depending on the nature of your condition and the availability of inhalers to treat a sudden attack. If you have asthma, talk to your doctor about how to respond to the symptoms and what you can do to prevent breathing problems.
Dyspnea treatment options
Treating dyspnea usually means treating its root cause.
-Diet and exercise
If obesity and poor physical activity are the causes of dyspnea that you may have, eat healthier meals and exercise often. If it has been a long time or you have a health condition that limits your activity level, talk to your doctor about how to start a safe exercise routine.
–Pulmonary rehabilitation
COPD and other lung problems require the care of a pulmonologist, a doctor who deals with lung health and the respiratory system. You may need extra oxygen in the portable tank to avoid problems. Pulmonary rehabilitation can also be helpful. This is a program of supervised exercises and education on breathing techniques that will help you overcome lung disease.
-Cardiological rehabilitation
The causes related to the heart are treated by a cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in heart disorders. If you have heart failure, it means that your heart is too weak and does not pump enough oxygen to meet the needs of your body. Dyspnea is one of the few symptoms of heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation can help you manage heart failure and other heart-related diseases. In severe cases of heart failure, an artificial pump may be needed to take over the duties of pumping the blood of a weakened heart.