Shortness of breath, or feeling “winded,” can make it difficult to draw in a full breath. You might feel like you’ve just run a sprint, climbed several flights of stairs, or taken an aerobics class. Show These sensations may be familiar if you exercise regularly — but outside the context of exercise, they can be alarming. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of a variety of medical conditions, including various heart and lung conditions. Read on to learn more about what shortness of breath feels like and what causes it. One of the signature symptoms of COVID-19 is shortness of breath. Other common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and fatigue. Most people who get COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms that can be treated at home. If you’re sick and suspect you may have COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends these steps:
You should also monitor your symptoms while at home. Seek emergency care immediately if you experience:
People with dark skin may have more trouble than people with light skin, observing skin color changes that indicate oxygen deprivation. Get the latest information on COVID-19. Shortness of breath can be a scary feeling. It’s a subjective sensation, meaning it can’t be measured. However, doctors can measure other things that may be caused by shortness of breath, such as your blood oxygen levels. If your blood oxygen level is too low, it means you’re not taking in enough oxygen and it’s not circulating with your red blood cells. This can be dangerous, especially if your blood oxygen levels dip too low. If you’re experiencing shortness of breath, you might feel like you can’t get enough air into your lungs — and that you can’t do it quickly enough. It may seem as though you’re running short on oxygen. It may be more difficult to inhale and exhale. Sometimes you might be compelled to draw a breath before you’ve even finished exhaling. Symptoms that appear with shortness of breath may include:
You might notice yourself becoming increasingly short of breath over a long period of time, or it could happen out of the blue. Symptoms are often most noticeable when you’re physically active, like when you climb stairs or try to exercise, but shortness of breath can happen even if you’re at rest. The American Lung Association recommends talking with your doctor whenever you experience shortness of breath that isn’t expected due to your current activity and fitness levels. You should also contact your doctor if you don’t respond to treatment for shortness of breath. Other worrying symptoms, together with shortness of breath, that should prompt medical attention include:
If you have any combination of these symptoms along with shortness of breath, it’s important to call your doctor or visit an emergency room for immediate medical care. Being short of breath isn’t the same thing as having trouble breathing. When you’re having difficulty breathing normally, you might feel like:
Difficulty breathing is also an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Treatment for shortness of breath depends on the underlying cause. Once your doctor examines you and provides a diagnosis, treatment may involve one or more of the following:
Other steps you can try to help prevent and manage shortness of breath include the following:
You may be at a higher risk of shortness of breath or other related conditions if you have:
Shortness of breath can be a symptom of many different health conditions. It can range from mild to serious, and may come on gradually or happen suddenly. If you’re experiencing shortness of breath, you might feel like you can’t get enough air into your lungs, and that you can’t do it quickly enough. It may be difficult to inhale and exhale, and you might feel like you need to draw a breath before you’ve even finished exhaling. Seek medical attention any time you experience unusual shortness of breath, especially if the feeling persists even after you’ve rested, or you have other concerning symptoms too, such as chest pressure, nausea, fever, or chills. |