Difficulty in breathing, also called shortness of breath and dyspnea. If one is experiencing sudden and unexpected difficulty in breathing, especially not during after exercise or any physical activity, it is almost always an emergency medical situation. When the body is short of breath, the body may not be receiving the sufficient amount of oxygen it needs to sustain respiration. Sometimes, shortness of breath may connote a serious disease. One form of breathing difficulty is wheezing, when a high-pitched sound is produced during expiration.
Causes of breathing difficulties
There are many causes for difficulty in breathing.
- Blockage of air passage in the nose, mouth or throat (larynx, pharynx, trachea, etc.)
- Choking
- Croup
- Heart diseases may lead to shortness of breath due to the incapability of the heart to pump adequate amounts of oxygen to the body. Due to the inadequacy of amount of oxygen in the brain and other organs of the body, shortness of breath occurs.
- Heart attack or myocardial infarction
- Angina
- Congenital heart disease and other heart defects
- Arrhythmias
- Lung diseases
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung arteries)
- Bronchiolitis
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Allergies
- Partial lung collapse
- Being at high altitudes
- Emotional distress, such as anxiety and panic attack
Signs and symptoms of breathing difficulties
Apart from the obvious shortness of breaths, difficulty in breathing may be accompanied by:
- Cyanosis of the lips, fingers and fingernails
- Unusual movement of chest during respiration
- Chest pain
- Confusion and lightheadedness
- Cough
- Fever
- Weakness
- Wheezing sounds
How to give first aid if someone is experiencing breathing difficulties
As previously mentioned, breathing difficulties are often considered medical emergencies, therefore, it is necessary to act right away to prevent worse damage.
- Call for emergency medical assistance immediately.
- Check for the casualty’s pulse, airway and breathing.
- If the no pulse is detected, initiate CPR.
- If necessary, give rescue breaths.
- Loosen any tight clothing especially those located in the neck
- If there is any prescribed medication, assist the casualty into taking it.
- Check and monitor the casualty’s breathing and pulse until the paramedics arrive. Do not leave the casualty alone even if breathing begins to normalize. This does not necessarily mean that the casualty is already improving.
- For open wounds in the neck and chest, control the bleeding by applying deep pressure on the wound.
- If there is a sucking chest wound, cover the chest cavity using a bandage, sealing all corners but one, allowing the trapped air to escape the chest.
- At all times, food and water must not be given.
- Do not move the casualty unless there is danger in the immediate environment.
Breathing is vital to life. Through respiration, oxygen is breathed in whereas carbon dioxide is breathed out. If there is no sufficient oxygen in the body, cells begin to die within a few minutes. Understanding breathing difficulties can help when taking first aid training as it is a symptom for many emergency situations.