8 Causes of Breathing Difficulties You Need to Know About

Breathing difficulties refer to a discomfort that appears when breathing or the sensation that you can't take a full breath. This might happen gradually or quickly. Breathing problems can be caused by a variety of conditions. It's crucial to remember that recurrent or significant shortness of breath may indicate a major health problem that needs medical treatment. Any respiratory problems should be discussed with your doctor.

Learn more about the health conditions that can lead to difficulty breathing. 

1. Congestive heart failure

When the heart muscle fails to pump blood as well as it should, this is referred to as heart failure. When this occurs, blood backs up and fluid can accumulate in the lungs, causing shortness of breath. Apart from breathing difficulties, you may experience fatigue, weakness, chest pain, lower limb swelling, irregular heartbeat, nausea, and decreased alertness. If you experience these symptoms, call emergency right away. 

2. Asthma

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow, swell, and may produce extra fluid. It can cause symptoms like difficulty breathing, chest pain or tightness, wheezing attacks, and shortness of breath. Asthma is an incurable condition. But the symptoms can be managed with help of medications to improve the person’s quality of life. If you think you have asthma, contact your doctor as soon as possible to get qualified medical help. 

3. Coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease occurs when the major blood arteries supplying your heart become damaged. The coronary arteries supply your heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients. Plaque development can clog these arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart. This can produce symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath. Untreated coronary artery disease can result in complete artery blockage and lead to a heart attack. 

4. Hiatal hernia

Hiatal hernia is a condition in which the top region of your stomach bulges through the big muscle that separates your abdomen and chest. A mild hiatal hernia rarely causes symptoms or discomfort. But significant hiatal hernia can produce unpleasant symptoms. Common symptoms of hiatal hernia include heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea. 

5. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a disease that causes inflammation of air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may become clogged with fluid or pus. This results in symptoms like a cough with pus, fever, chills, and trouble breathing. The severity of pneumonia can range from mild to life-threatening. If you suspect you have pneumonia, call your doctor immediately to avoid serious complications. 

6. Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a type of hypertension that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. As a result, the blood vessels in the lungs become constricted, obstructed, or damaged. This slows down the blood flow through the lungs and increases the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. To pump blood through the lungs, the heart must work harder. An additional effort eventually leads to weakness and failure of the heart muscle.

7. Croup

Croup is an infection of the upper airway that causes breathing difficulties and a distinctive barking cough. Croup cough and associated symptoms are caused by swelling around the voice box, windpipe, and bronchial tubes. When a cough drives air through the restricted pathway, the enlarged vocal cords make a barking sound. The symptoms of croup include loud, barking cough, fever, and breathing difficulties. 

8. Pulmonary embolism

A pulmonary embolism is a condition that occurs when one of the pulmonary arteries in your lungs is blocked. The most common cause of pulmonary embolism is blood clots that move to the lungs from deep veins in other parts of your body. Pulmonary embolism can be fatal because the clots can block blood flow to the lungs completely. The symptoms of pulmonary embolism include cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain.