Lack of fresh air symptoms. Breathing is hard, difficult: why there is not enough air, reasons for what to do

The feeling of lack of air always causes panic fear, since a person cannot fully breathe out. In medicine, this condition is called dyspnea, or, as patients call it, shortness of breath.

There are a lot of reasons why there is a lack of air, and some of them are not related to pathological disorders physical health, but are manifestations of psycho-emotional disorders. Nevertheless, at the first manifestations of the disease, it is important to identify the cause that caused difficulty breathing and begin to eliminate it. After all, such a condition interferes with full-fledged life, causes severe discomfort, and sometimes signals serious problems in the organs of the respiratory and cardiac systems.

Symptomatic manifestations

All processes taking place in human body, are directly related to oxygen, which provides such natural processes in organs and tissues:

Proper functioning of the respiratory organs, with the help of which the air entering the lungs is purified, moistened and warmed;
Uninterrupted work of the muscles in the lung tissue;
Ensuring the correct pressure in;
The ability of lung cells and tissue to transport oxygen molecules to bloodstream;
The ability of the arteries of the heart to deliver blood to all organs and tissues;
Ensuring the right amount of red blood cells.

If an insufficient amount of oxygen enters the bloodstream, the work of not only the respiratory organs, but also other body systems is disrupted.

Lack of air when breathing is manifested different symptoms. If respiratory disorders are associated with pathological changes in the internal organs, then they will be accompanied by concomitant manifestations that are characteristic of these diseases.

In the case when there is not enough air when breathing due to psycho-emotional reasons, the symptoms manifest themselves as follows:

Strong yawning;
Increased number of breaths;
Cough;
Sensations of squeezing in;
Strong heartbeat;
Finger numbness;
Panic fear.

If for a long time the lack of oxygen is not eliminated, a person experiences severe suffocation, accompanied by hypoxia and malfunctions in the functioning of all organs and systems of the body.

Note!

Symptoms of shortness of breath, depending on the reasons that caused the lack of oxygen, have a different duration: constant difficulty in breathing, long or short attacks.

Given the similar symptoms and different manifestations of lack of air, it is important to undergo a thorough medical diagnosis to identify the causes that caused breathing problems.

The causes of lack of air are conventionally divided into 2 groups:

Symptoms associated with chronic pathologies internal organs;
Psycho-emotional states provoked by stress, depression and nervous tension.

Consider the specifics of the manifestation of the main factors that are the causes, causing problems with breath.

Bronchial asthma

The most common cause of occurrence is the response of the immune system to or an infectious stimulus. After it enters the body, the epithelium of the bronchi begins to swell, as a result of which the lumen of the bronchi is greatly narrowed, which is manifested in the symptom of severe suffocation.

The disease manifests itself in the form of attacks of varying intensity, ranging from mild shortness of breath to an acute attack of suffocation.

This is a serious respiratory disease, which is manifested by pronounced symptoms:

Dry cough;
Dyspnea;
Loud wheezing;
The chest becomes like a barrel, and the intercostal space is smoothed out;
To alleviate the manifestations of an attack, a person sits, focusing on his hands: it is easier for him to breathe.

Note!

A characteristic manifestation of bronchial asthma is that respiratory dysfunction manifests itself on exhalation.

Tumor processes in the lungs

The statistics show that oncological diseases occupy a leading position. Particularly susceptible tumor neoplasms smoking people. Passive inhalation of nicotine is also a significant risk factor.

Symptoms of the development of tumors are clear:

Frequent shortness of breath, turning into suffocation;
A sharp decrease in body weight;
Fast fatiguability;
Constant weakness;
Cough, accompanied by expectoration of sputum with blood.

Note!

The onset of oncological manifestations bears a strong resemblance to the symptoms of tuberculosis. These diseases can be distinguished only after a medical examination.

Respiratory distress in the initial stages of oncology is mild.

Bronchiectasis and emphysema

Both diseases are associated with the expansion of the bronchi and bronchioles. Because of these modifications, bubbles form on them.

With bronchiectasis, they are filled with pus or a special liquid and, in the process of development, turn into, due to which the affected area of the bronchi ceases to take part in the respiratory process.

With emphysema, empty bubbles burst, forming voids in the bronchi.

In both cases, the person experiences severe shortness of breath with a feeling of catastrophic lack of air.

Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels

Diseases associated with disruption of the heart, provoke oxygen deficiency in the lungs. These pathologies are dangerous with a circular pathological effect on the body: the heart works worse with a lack of oxygen, which the lungs cannot give it, since the cardiac arteries do not provide them with blood in full.

As a result of such a vicious circle, a strong heartbeat often begins. It is these factors that lead to feelings of lack of air.

Note!

A distinctive feature of shortness of breath in diseases of the heart and blood vessels is the absence of cough with bloody sputum.

Thrombi that break off in the large veins of the limbs enter the atrium, and then into the artery of the lung, preventing air from circulating freely in it. As a result, it starts pulmonary infarction.

A person wants to breathe air, but he is prevented from doing so severe attacks cough, during which blood is intensively excreted along with sputum.

Psycho-emotional states

The feeling of lack of air when breathing often lies in psychological causes. The fact is that the natural process of breathing is regulated by 2 systems: autonomic and nervous. Therefore, in severe stressful situations and psycho-emotional stress, disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system are possible. That is, feelings manifested in lack of air cause neurosis.

How is the mechanism of the effect of neurosis on the respiratory system triggered?

With strong excitement, stress, fear or overwork, a person instinctively tries to breathe deeper, starting the process of changes in the depth and frequency of breathing. While inhaling as deeply as possible, he simultaneously tries to breathe as quickly and often as possible.

At this moment, the person takes the maximum number of breaths / exhalations, but oxygen does not have time to reach the lungs. Moreover, much less than necessary enters the respiratory organs, which manifests itself in attacks of shortness of breath.

Lack of air leads to a feeling of uncontrollable panic fear, a person does not know what to do, he wants to breathe even harder and faster, but with each breath even less oxygen enters the lungs.

Note!

These respiratory disorders are not related to pathological changes internal organs and are the result of psycho-emotional stress.

To eliminate this symptom, it is important to understand the cause that caused the attack. Tranquilizers and support of loved ones effectively help to restore breathing.

Psychologists with the manifestation of such symptoms recommend 2 exercises:

For several minutes, breathe calmly and measuredly into a paper bag;
Perform 2 breaths at the same time; this "re-breathing" helps to breathe more slowly and calmly, restoring the biochemical balance in the blood.

Note!

With excess air entering the blood, changes occur in blood parameters, manifested in a reduced amount of carbon dioxide. Such deviations from the norm lead to a narrowing of the walls of blood vessels, which manifests itself in a lack of oxygen.

Unpleasant symptoms in the form of pressing sensations in the chest and heart, dizziness and hand tremors are caused by calcium and magnesium deficiency, which also occurred due to the lack of sufficient oxygen in the blood.

The listed diseases are not a complete list of causes that cause alarming symptoms. There are much more of them, and their manifestations can vary depending on the provoking factors and characteristics of the human body. Therefore, it is important to contact a medical institution at the first manifestations of shortness of breath for a thorough diagnosis and adequate treatment.

Shortness of breath is a feeling of incomplete breathing that each of us has experienced. We climb the stairs, rush to work and start to suffocate. This is a normal physiological shortness of breath due to the increased load on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. But today we will talk about the pathological lack of air that can occur against the background of seemingly absolute health at a young age.

Lack of air is denoted by the term "hyperventilation syndrome". This is one of the many syndromes of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Outside the crisis, such a syndrome manifests itself deep breaths, frequent yawning, coughing. The patient most often does not notice this, but the surrounding people pay attention to the manifestations.

There are three types of shortness of breath:

"Empty" or incomplete breathing - a feeling of lack of air, in which a person breathes freely, but periodically takes deep, "breathing" breaths. Against the background of absolutely identical breaths, he begins to highlight “successful” and “unsuccessful” breaths, tries to breathe. To compensate for this dissatisfaction with breathing, a person begins to open windows, even in cold weather. Patients have an acute sense of smell, they are irritated by numerous odors, and there is a feeling of constant stuffiness. These sensations are intensified indoors, in an elevator, when climbing to a height, during stressful situations.
Feeling of stopping breathing. The patient seems to be in control of his own breathing. He determines for himself when he needs to inhale and exhale. Such a patient believes that the respiratory center does not automatically work, and if his own control is weakened, breathing will stop.
Feeling of difficulty breathing. The patient tries to inhale with effort, as if trying to overcome an obstacle in the airways. He feels a sense of constriction chest from inside or outside pressure, "lump in the throat", difficulty in passing air in the larynx and trachea. The patient purposefully strains the respiratory muscles, breathing becomes chest. In such a situation, the doctor differentiates hyperventilation syndrome from bronchial asthma, but does not find pathology of the respiratory system.

How does an attack of lack of air manifest itself?

As a rule, the feeling of lack of air is combined with the following symptoms:

difficulty breathing, "empty" or "incomplete" breath
rapid shallow breathing
feeling of tightness, heaviness in the chest
"lump in the throat"
frequent yawning
dizziness, headache
palpitations, heart pain
anxiety, fear of death
general weakness, sweating
numbness and coldness of the extremities, trembling in the body, chills

Thus, an attack of lack of air in combination with the above symptoms is a vegetative-vascular crisis, which causes the patient to panic and desire to be examined. However, a complete diagnostic examination, as a rule, does not find a serious pathology. Why? Because the basis of hyperventilation syndrome is, as a rule, a psychogenic disorder.

The three main causes of hyperventilation syndrome are:

Psychogenic illnesses
organic diseases nervous system
Diseases of other body systems endocrine disorders, poisoning, etc.)

The mechanism of development of lack of air.

The trigger mechanism in the development of hyperventilation syndrome is, as a rule, a strong nervous stress, experience. Very often, psychic trauma is associated with the process of breathing. For example, the experienced case of a bone getting stuck in the throat, the situation of a drowning person, exacerbation of bronchial asthma in close relatives. Plays the role of past sports, especially swimming and running, when respiratory parameters are very important.

Respiratory rhythm disorders lead to a change in the gas composition of the blood (a decrease in the partial pressure of CO2 and an increase in the partial pressure of O2), a violation of the acid-base balance, which further exacerbates changes in the activity of the respiratory center. autonomic nervous system. As a result, a vicious circle closes, from which it can be very difficult to get out.

Criteria for making a diagnosis Hyperventilation syndrome»:

Complaints about respiratory, vegetative disorders.
History of mental trauma
Positive hyperventilation test: Deep and rapid breathing for 3-5 minutes leads to symptoms of hyperventilation.
Disappearance of a spontaneous or induced attack during a hyperventilation test when inhaling a mixture of gases containing 5% CO2, or when breathing into a plastic bag. Breathing into the bag leads to the accumulation of CO2, which compensates for the lack of CO2 in the alveolar air and improves the patient's condition.
Symptoms of excessive neuromuscular excitability: Khvostek's symptoms, a positive Trousseau-Bonsdorf test, a positive EMG test for hidden muscle spasms.

In the next article we will talk about the treatment of feeling short of breath (

The phrase "I breathe - and there is not enough air" occurs so often that even the closest friends of the complainant react sluggishly to it. Over time, a person experiencing such sensations begins to ignore them, waiting for it to “pass by itself”. But this is hardly reasonable. If during inhalation, it means that the body is not sufficiently saturated with essential oxygen. A long period of such a shortage can later seriously affect general well-being and state of health. In addition, in many cases, the body thus tries to tell the “owner” what exactly does not suit him.

About the benefits of sports

We are all not in the best physical shape. An elevator shutdown can be a disaster even for someone who lives on the fourth floor. Crawling to the apartment, the unfortunate groans: "I'm suffocating." He lacks air solely for the reason that the body, which has become unaccustomed to stress, does not have time to supply itself with oxygen. However, if shortness of breath occurs even if you have walked only one stop, you should consider more regular exercise. Otherwise, in the foreseeable future, you will face problems with a heart that is used to working lazily.

External influences

The very first thing to do when a person says "I'm out of breath, out of breath" not after climbing to the tenth floor is to check if something has got into him. respiratory organs. Moreover, it does not have to be a solid object: both a viscous substance and sudden swelling can close the valve. In all these cases, the actions must be as fast as possible, otherwise the “I can’t breathe” state will quickly turn into the “I can’t breathe anymore” stage.

Often, when inhaling, there is not enough air for people who have fallen under a “chemical attack”, that is, they have inhaled the vapors of some compounds. The symptom is further complicated by the effects of toxins operating in the blood. So for any chemical poisoning The person needs to be rushed to the hospital.

Diseases of the respiratory organs

Of course, the second most common. They need to be extremely vigilant: very often there is not enough air when inhaling, when swelling of the throat develops (heavily leaking tonsillitis, for example) or a significant amount of mucus has accumulated in the bronchi. The consolation is that sudden attacks are rare here. If you carefully monitor the sick and do not neglect the recommendations of the doctor, you can not be afraid of serious consequences.

Asthmatics do not get enough air when they inhale regularly. However, this disease develops gradually, the person is usually quite aware of the causes of his shortness of breath and carries an inhaler with him.

stressful state

beach modern man- constant (or sudden) nervous tension. The sensation, as if there is not enough air, arises from the fact that the whole organism is instinctively preparing for an active struggle - flight or fight. First, a person begins to breathe heavily in order to supply the blood with the oxygen necessary for the jerk. However, there is no breakthrough, the reason is emotional, no one attacks you with fists. Additionally, "breathed" oxygen remains unclaimed. And the lack begins to show carbon dioxide. Result: A stressed or frightened person cannot breathe. To get back to normal faster, there is a simple and effective recipe: cup your hands and breathe into them. The effect will manifest itself faster if the same is done in a bag: a more enclosed space is saturated with carbon dioxide faster. And strong-willed people who, after a fright, do not have enough air when inhaling, can simply force themselves to breathe in a normal, not extreme mode.

iron deficiency

The second misfortune of the civilized world is wrong, far from natural food. Anemia with iron deficiency becomes a frequent consequence of it. Women usually suffer from it, and those who observe one of trendy diets. And if a lady does not have enough air when inhaling, it is quite possible that her body needs iron. Similar problems are often experienced by pregnant women, in whom this element is “extracted” from the blood by a growing fetus. You can check the suspicions by passing the appropriate tests. But you can do without them: the use of liver, red meat, pomegranates and buckwheat has not hurt anyone yet. Wish for more quick results- drink vitamins that include iron.

Overweight and heart disease

Obesity is a consequence of the already described problems of civilization: malnutrition and lack of movement. Not only do obese people lack air, the heart, under the influence of fat and increased load, also begins to play pranks. If complete man shortness of breath manifested itself for the first time, he urgently needs to visit a doctor: young men often get ischemia along with a heart attack. The constant accompanying excess fullness, persistently signals that it is time to start fighting weight, and not on your own, but under medical supervision. You should not start by signing up for simulators and devote two hours a day to them: it will end with a faint right in the gym, or even a heart attack. What you can immediately do yourself is just three things:

Learn any breathing exercises and do it regularly.
Visit a doctor and get tested.
Review your diet.

The rest, especially harsh actions, can greatly damage an already precarious health. However, following medical recommendations will have to be very pedantic if you do not want to live with shortness of breath for not too long and not very comfortable.

The feeling of lack of air occurs when there is insufficient oxygen in the body or a decrease in its content in the blood. All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into:

Cardiac. Occur when the work of the ventricles of the heart is weakened.
Pulmonary. Associated with a violation of gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue.
In diseases of the nervous system. Occur with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata.
When defeated spinal cord the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted.
psychogenic origin. Occurs in patients with neurosis, vegetovascular dystonia, with excessive excitement, stress.
Hemalogic. Often accompanied by anemia.
Other factors. They can be during pregnancy, obesity, accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity, with injuries to the chest, air penetration into it, accumulation of blood or effusion, spinal deformities.

If there is only a feeling of labored breathing during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical fitness, forced or conscious physical inactivity. This also includes shortness of breath in the highlands, stuffy rooms. In some cases, the cause of a sharp breathing disorder is an injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi.

Should alert additional symptoms: unilateral chest pain, acute attack of shortness of breath and pain with a decrease in blood pressure, difficulty exhaling, wheezing, high body temperature, profuse sputum with pus, pink secretions, shortness of breath against the background of severe muscle weakness, dizziness.

If the cause of the attack is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or bed in a semi-sitting position, relax the belt, unbutton the collar and ensure free flow fresh air. You can not drink any drugs on your own, you need to call an ambulance.

If the patient has been sick for a long time, then it is necessary to give proven drugs and then consult a doctor again. In all doubtful cases or against the background of severe weakness, it is better to call an ambulance.

In stressful situations, the technique of relaxing breathing helps. With shortness of breath with cough on the background of colds or inflammatory diseases- hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.

The doctor may prescribe: oxygen inhalations, antibacterial agents, preparations for expanding the bronchi and sputum thinning, chest massage, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises to improve airway clearance, and others.

Read more about the causes of feeling short of breath and the treatment of the condition in our article..

Read in this article

Causes of the feeling of lack of air

The lungs and heart are responsible for the supply of oxygen to the body, their work is controlled by the central and autonomic nervous system. Direct delivery of this essential element Red blood cells - erythrocytes - are involved in the formation of energy. Therefore, if there is a failure in any of the links in this chain, the body tries to compensate oxygen starvation. The reaction to the deepening and/or quickening of breathing is subjectively perceived as a feeling of lack of air.

All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into cardiac, pulmonary, neurogenic, hematological. In addition to these main groups, there are also changes in the respiratory muscles, pathologies associated with poisoning, and other, more rare factors.

cardiac

Circulatory failure occurs when the work of the ventricular myocardium is weakened. The outflow of blood from the lung tissue is disturbed, stagnant processes develop, and gas exchange decreases.

The appearance of shortness of breath can be the first sign of heart disease. At first, it happens with physical exertion, and as it progresses, it also happens at rest. Breathing becomes frequent and superficial, in the future, coughing and nocturnal attacks of suffocation are possible.

The reasons for the gradual increase in lack of air during chronic insufficiency circulation are:

coronary heart disease - post-infarction cardiosclerosis;
heart defects;
, including diseases thyroid gland, diabetes, alcoholism, menopause;
, especially during the crisis course;
heart rhythm disturbances;
the use of cardiotoxic drugs (hormones, antitumor drugs that increase blood pressure);
rheumatism, ;
massive introduction of infusion solutions.

The scheme of development of angina pectoris

Acute heart failure with an attack of sudden lack of air can occur with chronic decompensation or is the result of:

formation of an intracardiac thrombus;
blocking the movement of blood by a tumor of the heart;
complications of a heart attack;
ruptured aortic aneurysm;
severe infections;
poisoning;
operations, injuries.

Pulmonary

Respiratory failure is associated with a violation of gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue. Expiration is usually difficult - expiratory dyspnea or appears mixed with cardiopulmonary decompensation. Uncomfortable breathing may be accompanied by:

acute pneumonia;
sharp and chronic bronchitis, including bronchitis of smokers;
high pressure in the system of the pulmonary artery against the background of its blockage by blood clots ( pulmonary thromboembolism) with heart defects, HIV infection, autoimmune diseases;
bronchiectasis (bronchial deformation);
tumor processes in the lungs;
entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract;
compaction of the lung tissue (pneumosclerosis);
tuberculosis;
pleurisy;
the appearance of adhesions after suffering inflammation of the organs chest cavity.

Pulmonary thromboembolism

For diseases of the nervous system

Dysregulation of the work of the lungs and heart occurs with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata, where the respiratory and vasomotor centers are located. Feeling short of breath also occurs with:

tumors and swelling of the brain;
increased intracranial pressure;
the introduction of drugs for anesthesia;
carbon dioxide poisoning;
accumulation of acids in the blood during acidosis.

When the spinal cord is damaged, the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted, which also causes shortness of breath. Its weakening (neuromuscular respiratory failure) occurs with injuries, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), poliomyelitis, myopathy, potassium deficiency, botulism.

A fairly common condition is a feeling of lack of air of psychogenic origin. It occurs in patients with neurosis, vegetovascular dystonia, with excessive excitement, stress. Especially severe is rapid and shallow breathing (hyperventilation of the lungs) during a panic attack.

Hematological

Shortness of breath often accompanies anemia. A decrease in the content of hemoglobin and erythrocytes causes oxygen starvation of tissues, which leads to a compensatory reaction of increased respiration. The reasons for this condition may be:

deficiency of iron and vitamins in the diet;
destruction of red blood cells under the influence of toxic compounds and inflammatory, autoimmune processes;
infections;
malignant diseases of the hematopoietic organs.

A change in the composition of the blood is also found in diseases of the kidneys, liver, severe diabetes, poisoning with denatured alcohol, salicylates. In such cases, acidification of the blood occurs, causing an increase in breathing to compensate for violations.

Watch the video about feeling short of breath:

Other factors

The high standing of the diaphragm reduces the amplitude of its movements, disrupts the filling of the lungs. This can be during pregnancy, obesity, accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity. Shortness of breath also appears with damage to the chest, the penetration of air into it, the accumulation of blood or effusion, and deformation of the spine.

If other symptoms are added

If the patient has only a feeling of shortness of breath during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical fitness, forced or conscious physical inactivity. Physiological reasons can also include shortness of breath in high-altitude areas, stuffy rooms. When others appear clinical manifestations Feeling short of breath can be the first symptom of a serious illness.

sudden shortness of breath

In some cases, the cause of a sharp breathing disorder is an injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi. In other, less obvious situations, you need to pay attention to additional symptoms:

Cough

Depending on the frequency of occurrence of the cough reflex and shortness of breath, the presence of diseases can be assumed:

permanent - there are chronic inflammation pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi, as well as stagnation of blood in the lungs with heart failure. When inhaling dusty air, infections, changes in temperature and humidity, the symptoms increase;
occur periodically - smoking, alcoholism, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchial asthma, acute colds;
single bouts of severe coughing and respiratory failure - inhalation of smoke, penetration of a foreign body into the bronchi, allergies.

Chest pain and anxiety

The appearance of shortness of breath, a feeling of compression of the chest, and sometimes the neck may be the first or even the only signs of unstable angina or myocardial infarction. In more typical cases, they are combined with bouts of retrosternal pain, which radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, lower jaw. Often, when a heart muscle infarction occurs, patients feel anxiety, excitement, fear of death.

Dizziness

Shortness of breath with general weakness and dizziness, pallor of the skin occurs with a decrease in blood pressure and with anemia. Similar symptoms may accompany the following diseases:

bradycardia;
reduced myocardial conduction;
sick sinus syndrome;
narrowing of the pulmonary artery, aorta;
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
heart failure;
violation of cerebral circulation;
vascular collapse;
state of shock against the background of an attack of pain, rhythm disturbance

heartbeat

The classic manifestations of heart failure are shortness of breath and tachycardia. They are diagnosed at all stages of this complication of heart disease. Initially, they appear during physical stress, which exceeds the individual reserves of compensation, and then during the normal activity of the patient, with a further increase - at rest.

Accompanied by the appearance of cyanosis, cough, swelling in the legs, enlargement of the liver, stagnant processes in the internal organs.

Feeling short of breath in the throat

Shortness of breath during physical exertion or at rest, which become stronger with excitement and stress, a feeling of a lump in the throat can be signs of neurosis, disruption of the autonomic nervous system. Patients do not tolerate closeness, ventilate the room all the time, complain of dissatisfaction with the breath. Sometimes a cough or sore throat may also occur.

At the basis of such symptoms, spastic processes in the muscles and excessive fixation on one's sensations are found. A characteristic feature that distinguishes the lack of air in neurotic disorders is the abundance of symptoms. Patients colorfully describe their complaints against the background of a general satisfactory condition.

Watch the video about the lack of air (hyperventilation syndrome):

Causes of suffocation at night

With a severe degree of heart failure, attacks of suffocation appear in the supine position, especially at night. They develop due to abundant blood flow to the chest cavity. This increases the filling of venous and capillary vessels, which reduces the capacity of the lung tissue. An additional factor leading to overflow vascular system, is the redistribution of edema in a horizontal position.

Acute shortness of breath causes sudden awakenings and the need to sit up to ease breathing. Nocturnal seizures can also occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, effusion in the pericardial cavity, or paralysis of the diaphragmatic muscle.

How to help yourself if it suddenly arose

If the cause of an attack of shortness of breath is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or given a semi-sitting position in bed with the help of high pillows. Loosen the belt, unbutton the collar and ensure the free flow of fresh air. You need to seek medical help immediately. Self-administration of medications in this case can aggravate circulatory or respiratory disorders.

If the patient has been sick for a long time and knows the signs of an exacerbation, then it is possible to use the usual dosage of medications that are prescribed to him and contact a doctor when the condition improves. In all doubtful cases or against the background of a sharp weakness, it is better to play it safe by calling an ambulance.

In stressful situations or excessive physical strain relaxing breathing technique helps. To do this, lie on your back and put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Breathing is done only through the nose and with the help of the abdominal muscles. On inspiration, the anterior abdominal wall rises, and on exhalation, it falls. The exhalation should be 3-4 counts longer than the inhalation. After each inhalation and exhalation, a short pause is needed (for 1-3 counts).

Watch the video on relaxing breathing techniques:

With shortness of breath with a cough on the background of colds or inflammatory diseases, hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger helps. It is pre-crushed on the smallest grater and the drink is infused for 7-10 minutes.

Treatment for shortness of breath

With the development of respiratory failure, the underlying disease is treated (pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchial asthma, chronic inflammatory processes in the bronchi). Patients are prescribed:

oxygen inhalations;
antibacterial agents;
preparations for dilating the bronchi and thinning sputum;
chest massage;
physiotherapy procedures;
therapeutic exercises to improve airway clearance.

Oxygen inhalations

In the treatment of heart failure, efforts are aimed at improving the contractile function of the myocardium. Sparing or bed rest is recommended, complete physical and mental rest. In the diet, limit salt and liquid. For therapy use: ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta-blockers, nitrates, oxygen inhalations. Patients are shown blood thinning with anticoagulants and agents that improve metabolism in the heart muscle.

With vegetative-vascular dystonia, neurosis, panic attacks soothing drugs and non-drug methods are recommended - water procedures, reflexology, massage, electrosleep, breathing and therapeutic exercises.

The feeling of lack of air can occur against the background of diseases of the heart, lungs, nervous system, blood, and disruption of the respiratory muscles. In order to establish the cause of shortness of breath, its duration, the rate of development of symptoms, the relationship with previous diseases, and a combination of clinical manifestations are analyzed. With an unknown diagnosis, sudden difficulty in breathing against the background of a significant deterioration in well-being requires medical attention.

Why there is not enough air: reasons

There can be many reasons for lack of air, some of them are severe diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular system, others are natural borderline physiological conditions.

The list of possible diseases, with symptoms of shortness of breath:

Bronchial asthma.
Oncological neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs.
Bronchiectasis.
IHD (ischemic heart disease).
Congenital and acquired heart defects.
Hypertonic disease.
Emphysema.
Endocarditis.
Ventricular failure (as a rule, we are talking about lesions of the left ventricle).
Infectious lesions of the bronchi and lungs (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.).
Pulmonary edema.
Airway block.
Rheumatism.
Angina pectoris ("angina pectoris").
Hypodynamia and, as a consequence, obesity.
psychosomatic reasons.

Here are the most common reasons. We can also talk about thermal damage to the lungs and bronchi (burns), mechanical and chemical damage, but this is rare in domestic conditions.

Asthma bronchial

Dangerous disease affecting bronchial tree. As a rule, the cause of the disease lies in an acute immune response to an endo- or exogenous irritant (allergic asthma) or an infectious agent ( infectious asthma). Appears spasmodically. The intensity and nature of the attacks depend on the severity of the disease and can vary from minor shortness of breath (for example, from brisk walking) to rapidly developing suffocation. Regardless, the mechanism is quite simple. The ciliated epithelium lining the inner surface of the bronchi swells, as a result of edema, stenosis (narrowing) of the bronchial lumen occurs and, as a result, increasing suffocation.

Bronchial asthma is an insidious disease, the degree of lethality of the pathology is high, at the first manifestations, when there seems to be not enough air, you should immediately contact a specialist and undergo a full examination.

Oncological neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs

According to statistics, neoplasms of the lungs are almost on the first lines in terms of frequency of development. At risk are, first of all, heavy smokers (including passive ones, which means all of us, because it is impossible to hide from cigarette smoke), as well as people with severe heredity. It is quite easy to suspect oncology if there are a number of specific signs:

Choking (shortness of breath) occurs repeatedly, periodically.
There is weight loss, weakness, fatigue.
There is hemoptysis.

Only a doctor can distinguish oncology from tuberculosis in the early stages. In addition, in the early stages, only a slight lack of air can be observed.

bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis - pathological degenerative formations in the structure of the bronchi. The bronchi and bronchioles (which terminate the bronchial tree) expand and take the form of sac-like formations filled with fluid or pus.

The exact causes of the disease are unknown, but previous lung diseases play a role. Extremely often formed in smokers (along with emphysema).

As ectases develop, functional tissues are replaced by scar tissue and the affected area is “turned off” from the breathing process. The result is a constant incessant shortness of breath, the cause of which is a decrease in the quality of breathing. The patient is having difficulty breathing.

Heart disease

They cause a decrease in the functionality of the organ, a decrease in blood flow to the lungs. As a result, a vicious circle is formed: the heart receives less oxygen, because it cannot provide the lungs with the optimal amount of blood for enrichment. Blood not enriched in sufficient oxygen, returns to the heart, but is not able to provide the heart muscle with the right amount of nutrients.

The heart, in response, begins to increase blood pressure, and beats more often. There is a false sensation of lack of air. Thus, the autonomic nervous system tries to increase the intensity of the lungs in order to somehow compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood and avoid tissue ischemia. Almost all serious heart diseases and of cardio-vascular system: angina pectoris, coronary heart disease, heart defects, hypertension (without adequate therapy), etc.

Emphysema

Its symptoms are similar to bronchiectasis. In the same way, bubbles form in the structure of the bronchi, but they are not filled with liquid or pus. Pathological extensions are empty, and over time they rupture, forming cavities. As a result, the vital capacity lungs and painful shortness of breath.

It is difficult for a person to breathe, there is not enough air even with the slightest physical exertion, and sometimes even in a calm state. Emphysema is also considered a disease of smokers, although it can also occur in staunch advocates. healthy lifestyle life.

Psychosomatic causes

Spasm of the bronchi can occur with emotional upheaval and stress. Scientists have noticed that such manifestations are characteristic of people with a special type of character accentuation (disthymas, hysteroids).

Obesity

No matter how trite it sounds, for people with obesity, shortness of breath is almost always characteristic. As an analogy, it suffices to imagine a person carrying a sack of potatoes. At the end of the work - he gets tired, breathes heavily and "drenches sweat" from intense physical stress. Obese people carry their "bag of potatoes" all the time.

Thus, answering the question why there is not enough air, the reasons may be different. But almost always they are associated with harm to health and a threat to life.

Out of breath: symptoms of shortness of breath

There can be no symptoms of lack of air, since shortness of breath and suffocation are themselves symptoms. The difference is that at various diseases they are included in different symptomatic complexes. Conventionally, all complexes can be divided into infectious, cardiac, directly pulmonary.

With infections, in addition to the sensation itself, as if there is not enough air, symptoms of general intoxication of the body are observed:

In addition, there may be pain in the chest, aggravated by breathing. Rattling and whistling on entry or exhalation.

With heart disease, a number of accompanying symptoms are almost always characteristic:

Burning behind the sternum.
Arrhythmia.
Tachycardia (heartbeat).
Increased sweating.

All this can be observed even in a calm state.

Typical pulmonary pathologies and pathological processes are much more difficult to recognize by symptoms, since special knowledge is required. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis. However, it is still possible to suspect one or another disease in oneself.

So, with oncological lesions, the symptoms appear on the rise and include:

Shortness of breath that gets worse over time. Happens intermittently, then constantly.
Weight loss (dramatic weight loss in the absence of a diet).
Hemoptysis (due to damage to the capillaries of the bronchi).
Pain behind the sternum when breathing (both inhaling and exhaling).

Cancer is the hardest to recognize. Without special instrumental methods, this is completely impossible.

Malignant tumors are easily confused with tuberculosis and even bronchiectasis.

However, bronchiectasis is characterized by expectoration of brown sputum (usually in the morning). In the structure of sputum, streaks of multilayer pus are observed (necrosis of bronchial structures at the sites of injury leads to mass death cells) with blood impurities. This is a very ominous symptom.

With emphysema, the main symptom is a growing feeling of lack of air. Answering the question why there is not enough air in this case, it should be said about the formation of air cavities in the bronchi themselves.

Bronchial asthma is relatively easy to recognize. It proceeds spasmodically. The attack is accompanied by pronounced suffocation (or shortness of breath). If it is not stopped immediately, whistles, wheezing during breathing and expectoration of colorless (transparent) sputum are added. As a rule, the trigger for an attack is contact with an allergen (or a previous infectious disease, if we are talking about infectious form). The most common etiology of asthma is allergic.

It is even easier to recognize shortness of breath of psychosomatic origin. It is provoked by situations associated with increased emotional and mental stress. Women are more prone to such a “disease”.

Not enough air: diagnostics

It is necessary to diagnose not a symptom, but the disease that provokes it.

Diagnostic activities include:

Primary history taking and examination of the patient.
Laboratory research ( general analysis blood, biochemical analysis blood).
Instrumental Research ( CT scan, radiography).

Since there are many diseases that are accompanied by the fact that it is difficult to breathe without enough air, the treating specialists can be different: a pulmonologist, a cardiologist, a neurologist, an infectious disease specialist, and a therapist.

First of all, it makes sense to go to an appointment with a pulmonologist, since it is he who specializes in the pathologies of the respiratory system.

During the initial examination, the doctor determines the nature of the symptoms, its intensity, duration. When collecting an anamnesis, close attention is paid to the following aspects:

Heredity. What diseases did the relatives have? Oncological diseases, cardiovascular pathologies, and diseases associated with allergies also have a tendency to inherit.
The nature of work, past or present contact with harmful chemicals or other aggressive substances.

At the appointment, the doctor "listens" to the lungs and determines the nature of breathing. This will help the specialist determine “by eye” the alleged source of the problem and draw up a diagnostic strategy.

Laboratory tests, primarily blood tests, are designed to identify:

Inflammatory process (characteristic of infectious diseases and even some heart diseases).
Eosinophilia (indicative of allergies and presumably asthma).
Tumor markers (indicators of the oncological process).
A high concentration of basophils (mast cells are also markers of allergies).

Instrumental methods are very diverse. They include:

Bronchoscopy. Endoscopic examination of the bronchi. It is extremely informative and allows you to identify most diseases of the lungs and bronchi. However, with bronchial asthma and heart disease, it is contraindicated and uninformative, and therefore the doctor prescribes this examination only after excluding asthma and cardiovascular pathologies.
Cardiography, Echo KG - designed to identify pathologies of the heart.
CT scan. MRI is intended, to a greater extent, to assess the condition of the bones and the general musculoskeletal system. When talking about soft tissues- CT is much more informative.
Biopsy. If there is a suspicion of an oncological origin of lack of air.
Allergic tests, stress tests - aimed at identifying sensitivity to a particular allergenic substance.

If, according to the results of examinations, no organic causes have been identified, it makes sense to consult a neurologist, since lack of air, as was said, may be associated with psychosomatic factors.

Lack of air: treatment, what to do?

It is clear that it is not the lack of air that needs to be treated, but the disease itself. It is impossible to decide on the treatment on your own, besides, self-treatment is very dangerous. If it is difficult for a person to breathe, there is not enough air, you need to consult a doctor so that he can prescribe treatment.

Each disease requires its own approach.

Therefore, it makes sense to talk only about ways to remove such unpleasant state like shortness of breath and suffocation.

If shortness of breath (suffocation) is associated with heart disease, it is necessary to stop any physical activity. If the condition lasts more than 10 minutes, even in the absence of activity, it is necessary to take a drug that reduces heartbeat. Better yet, call an ambulance.

Shortness of breath associated with emphysema, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, as a rule, is not removed by almost anything. The main recommendation is to stop physical activity.

Attacks of bronchial asthma are stopped by non-hormonal bronchodilators: Salbutamol, Berotek, Berodual, etc. Permanent therapy involves taking corticosteroid drugs in the form of inhalers. Specific names and dosage should be selected by a specialist.

Lack of air: prevention

Prevention measures include a few general recommendations:

If possible, choose an ecologically clean area as a place of residence.
Give up bad habits, especially smoking. If there was at least one person in the family who was diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor, quitting smoking is vital. Avoiding alcohol is essential to rule out cardiovascular disease.
Optimize your diet. Avoid fatty, excessive salt intake.
Support high level physical activity.

Thus, respiratory disorders can be a consequence of the development of a variety of pathologies. In general, this is a very formidable symptom that requires an immediate response. Postponing a visit to the doctor should not be, as well as self-medication. Only a specialist can choose the right treatment. On the part of the patient, however, a great deal of prudence and conscience is required, since most diseases can be avoided by adhering to the right lifestyle.

Emergency: Not enough air

The most common reason for calling an ambulance is a sudden onset of shortness of breath. Feeling short of breath when you breathe is normal when running fast or walking up stairs. But unexpected shortness of breath is a signal of the body about the disease. What if this condition recurs regularly? Here's what doctors advise.

The medical name for shortness of breath is dyspnea. It may be sudden or prolonged. Unexpected seizures occur due to the following diseases:

exacerbation of bronchial asthma. The airways narrow, the person breathes with difficulty, coughs hoarsely;

· pneumonia. The infection causes a buildup of mucus in the lungs and coughing;

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is typical for long-term smokers;

· heart failure. The heart is unable to pump blood around the body. Fluid accumulates in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe;

"silent heart attack". A rupture in the heart muscle sometimes does not appear for a long time. Shortness of breath is a sign that the heart is not able to provide oxygen to the lungs;

panic attack. Able strong anxiety man takes deep breaths. Because of this, the respiratory rhythm goes astray;

rare and complex conditions. Doctors refer to them as allergic edema of the respiratory tract, rupture of the lungs due to trauma, blockage of the pulmonary vessel, complications of diabetes mellitus, etc.

Any of these diagnoses is made only in the hospital on the basis of a complete examination.

Long-term regular shortness of breath indicates the development of chronic diseases. Among them:

· low level red blood cells;

Patients with these diseases are usually instructed by their physicians on how to act in the event of an attack.

Dyspnea can mean a serious problem with your airways or heart. Therefore, you should immediately call an ambulance, especially if the situation happened for the first time. The only exception is excitement and fear. You can try to relieve a panic attack yourself by breathing from a paper bag, going out onto the balcony, applying cold compress forehead.

Patients who know their diagnosis, such as asthma or chronic heart failure, should always have their doctor's prescriptions on hand. These funds often help relieve an attack without calling an ambulance. If the diagnosis is not made, but the problem recurs regularly, you need to go to the clinic and undergo an examination.

The feeling of lack of air frightens and causes severe discomfort. But in most cases, doctors quickly remove this condition. For this, oxygen pillows, injections, inhalers are used.

Why is there not enough air when breathing - what to do?

Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, shortness of breath is an unpleasant and dangerous symptom that may indicate serious illness. What to do when there is not enough air when breathing? We will analyze the treatment with medications and the rules that everyone should follow.

Frequent shortness of breath and lack of air indicates the development of diseases

Causes of lack of air when breathing

Shortness of breath, or shortness of breath, can occur not only as a result of lung diseases and problems in the airways. It can occur due to high physical activity, after eating, with stress and psychosomatic disorders during pregnancy and illness different systems human body.

Common causes of dyspnea include the following:

Unhealthy lifestyle: smoking, drinking alcohol, being overweight.
Stress and emotional upheaval.
Poor ventilation in the room.
Diseases of various origins.
Chest injuries: bruises, fractures of the ribs.

Conventionally, all these causes can be divided into normal and pathological.

Excess weight is detrimental to human health

Possible diseases

Difficulty breathing occurs as a result of diseases of the lungs and heart, and also indicates psychosomatic illnesses, anemia and problems with the spine.

Other factors

The cause of shortness of breath can be not only in diseases. Some factors of its appearance are considered “normal”: they are not caused by diseases, but by lifestyle, physiological characteristics of the body and emotional state.

Difficulty breathing can occur as a result of the following factors:

During physical activity: the muscles begin to demand more oxygen, and as a result, a person cannot take a deep breath. This goes away after a few minutes and only occurs in people who don't exercise regularly.
After eating: there is an influx of blood to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, so the supply of oxygen to other organs is temporarily reduced. Shortness of breath occurs as a result of overeating or in some chronic diseases.
During pregnancy: shortness of breath occurs in the third trimester, when the uterus, with an increase in the fetus, stretches and rises to the diaphragm. The degree of dyspnea depends on the weight of the fetus and physiological features specific woman.
For obesity: due to visceral fat enveloping the lungs, the volume of air in them decreases. At the same time, when overweight, the heart and other internal organs work in an enhanced mode, so they need more oxygen. As a result, it is difficult for a person to breathe, especially after exertion.
When smoking: the human body suffers because of this addiction, first of all, the lungs are hit. Especially strongly "dyspnea of a smoker" becomes noticeable during physical exertion.
When drinking alcohol: it affects the cardiovascular system of the body, increasing the risk of heart disease. Most of these diseases lead to shortness of breath.
Under stress: emotional upheavals and panic attacks are accompanied by the release of adrenaline into the blood. After this, the tissues begin to demand more oxygen, and its lack leads to shortness of breath.
In case of poor ventilation: in a room that is poorly ventilated, accumulates a large number of carbon dioxide. At the same time, oxygen does not enter it, so shortness of breath and frequent yawning occur, signaling brain hypoxia.

Shortness of breath often occurs during pregnancy

Which doctor should I contact?

With intermittent breathing, first of all, you need to consult a therapist. He will inspect necessary tests, will conduct hardware research.

Depending on what other symptoms of the disease you will experience, the therapist will write you a referral to the following specialists:

pulmonologist - lung diseases;
cardiologist - pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
hematologist - anemia;
neurologist - psychosomatics, osteochondrosis;
psychologist - neuroses and stress;
endocrinologist - diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis;
allergist - the presence of allergic reactions.

Pulmonologist deals with lung diseases

Diagnostics

To understand why the patient is out of breath, the therapist performs diagnostic procedures.

Methods for examining bad breath:

Examination and questioning of the patient.
Testing: complete blood count, blood for hormones, urine.
Hardware studies: ultrasound, X-ray, CT, ECG, spirometry.
Identification of the cause, sending to a specialist of a narrow profile.

Spirometry is used to identify the causes of bad breath.

Not all of these methods are used to determine the cause of shortness of breath: after questioning the patient and a complete examination, the doctor can exclude diagnoses. The final list of hardware studies and analyzes will become smaller.

Treatment for difficulty breathing

The way to treat shortness of breath depends on the cause of this phenomenon. If problems with inhalation occur due to cardiovascular diseases, drugs are prescribed that improve metabolic processes and work of the heart muscle. When it is difficult to breathe in inflammatory pulmonary diseases, antibacterial and mucolytic drugs are prescribed. If the cause of what presses in the sternum is nerves, a person is assigned psychological consultations to help get rid of stress and a depressed emotional state.

Medications

With a lack of air, which is a consequence of the disease, drugs of different groups are used.

Feeling or sensation of lack of air: causes and treatment

The feeling of lack of air is a feeling that each of us has experienced in our lives. One has only to hold our breath for a few seconds, and we will experience a shortage of air. The causes of this condition have a significant impact on the treatment with which the doctor can eliminate similar symptom many formidable diseases.

The main energy processes in our body occur with the continuous participation of oxygen molecules. Basic biochemical process our cells is oxidative phosphorylation. This process occurs in intracellular structures - mitochondria. In order for an oxygen molecule from the air to enter the mitochondria, it goes through a complex path, provided by various physiological mechanisms.

The constant need of our organs and systems for the supply of a sufficient amount of oxygen is provided by:

airway patency, heating, humidification and air purification;
adequate work of the respiratory muscles;
negative pressure in the pleural cavity;
the ability of pulmonary vesicles, alveoli, to passive diffusion of oxygen into the blood (sufficient permeability of the alveolar capillary membrane);
the ability of the heart to pump blood and deliver it to various organs and tissues;
a sufficient content of erythrocytes in the blood that bind and transport oxygen to the tissues;
good blood flow;
the ability of cell membranes of various tissues to pass oxygen molecules to intracellular structures;
adequate work of the respiratory center, which regulates and coordinates the function of breathing.

Violation of one of the listed stages of oxygen delivery leads to the triggering of the compensatory mechanism.

Symptoms of lack of air in various diseases can be different duration- constant lack of air, long periods or short attacks of suffocation.

Causes of lack of air must be eliminated

The main causes of air shortage can and should be eliminated in a timely manner. They include the following states:

Has a typical clinical picture with short attacks of dry cough, shortness of breath, with precursors or sudden onset. Patients have shortness of breath with difficulty exhaling, a feeling of pressure behind the sternum, wheezing, which can be heard at a distance. The chest takes on a barrel-shaped shape with smoothed intercostal spaces. The patient takes a forced position that facilitates breathing - he sits, leaning his hands on the back of a chair or bed. Attacks occur after contact with any allergens, after hypothermia or against the background of a cold, taking aspirin (aspirin asthma), after exercise (exercise asthma). After taking the nitroglycerin tablet, the condition does not improve. If you take sputum for analysis during an attack, it will show increased content eosinophils - a marker of allergic processes.

Chronic obstructive bronchitis

Unlike asthma, with bronchitis, shortness of breath is more or less permanent, with exacerbations during hypothermia, increased physical exertion. Accompanied persistent cough with expectoration of sputum.

Acute diseases of the bronchopulmonary system

Acute bronchitis and pneumonia, tuberculosis can also be accompanied by attacks of suffocation at the height of the disease, reminiscent of attacks in bronchial asthma. But, as the condition improves, the attacks pass.

Asphyxiation attacks with discharge a large number mucopurulent sputum, sometimes with hemoptysis, more often in the morning.

Shortness of breath and lack of air in diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Shortage of air from the heart can occur with any pathology of the organ, when its pumping function is impaired. Short-term and quickly passing shortness of breath occurs with a hypertensive crisis, attacks of cardiac arrhythmia, neurocirculatory dystonia. As a rule, it is not accompanied by a cough with sputum.

With persistent and severe heart problems, accompanied by heart failure, the feeling of lack of air always worries the patient, increases with physical exertion, and at night it can manifest itself in the form of attacks of cardiac asthma. At the same time, shortness of breath is expressed by difficulty in inhaling, moist bubbling rales appear, liquid foamy sputum is released. The patient takes a forced sitting position, which alleviates his condition. After taking the nitroglycerin tablet, the attacks of shortness of breath and lack of air go away.

Pulmonary embolism is a very common cause of feeling short of breath and is regarded as primary sign this pathology. venous vessels upper and lower extremities break off and enter the cavity of the right atrium, with the blood flow they move into the pulmonary artery, causing blockage of its large or small branches. A pulmonary infarction develops. This is a life-threatening disease, which is accompanied by severe shortness of breath and painful cough with discharge of bloody sputum, severe cyanosis of the upper half of the body.

Upper airway obstruction

The obstruction of the passage of air into the lungs can create tumors, cicatricial stenosis of the trachea, laryngitis, runny nose, foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, pathological processes in the mediastinum: chest goiter, sarcoidosis, aortic aneurysm, tuberculous bronchoadenitis. Shortness of breath is permanent in the described pathology and may be accompanied by a dry, unproductive cough.

Violation of the integrity of the chest

Rib fractures can cause shortness of breath. Difficulty breathing due to chest sparing due to severe pain often occurs with chest injuries. At the same time, there is no cough and sputum, wheezing in the lungs, and fever. Spontaneous pneumothorax, that is, the accumulation of air in the pleural cavity, accompanied by compression of the lung and a decrease in its respiratory surface, displacement of the mediastinum to the healthy side, is accompanied by a progressive lack of air, up to suffocation. At the same time, there is no cough or sputum, pain in the chest is disturbing. Only the removal of air from the pleural cavity facilitates the patient's condition.

Anemia, iron deficiency or malignant, in which there is a decrease in the content of red blood cells in the blood, leads to the development of hypoxia. Main function erythrocyte blood cells - transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. If, for some reason, the binding ability of erythrocytes is disturbed, which happens with poisoning by toxic substances, or the content of the binding protein of hemoglobin decreases, oxygen ceases to flow into the tissues - shortness of breath occurs. It is permanent and increases during physical activity.

Systemic and neoplastic processes

Diffuse lesion connective tissue (rheumatoid arthritis, periarteritis nodosa, systemic lupus erythematosus), neoplastic processes (carcinoid syndrome, metastatic lesion lung) impair gas exchange in the lungs and tissues and can lead to symptoms of shortness of breath.

redundant body fat interfere with a sufficient range of movements of the respiratory muscles and increase the load on the heart and respiratory organs. A sedentary lifestyle, detraining, atherosclerotic vascular lesions in obesity lead to the development of respiratory failure with little physical effort.

Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath in panic attacks and hysteria

Panic attacks, accompanied by a vivid sense of fear and the release of adrenaline into the blood, increase the tissue's need for oxygen. There is a shortage of air. Difficulty breathing during an attack of hysteria occurs due to psychogenic factors, and is not true shortness of breath. The patient thus subconsciously tries to attract the attention of others.

Diagnosis and treatment of shortness of breath when breathing

Lack of air when breathing always has some reason. And if you do not direct efforts to eliminate it, the problem will persist and progress. Diagnosis of the disease should be based on modern medical standards. The treatment of shortness of breath during breathing depends entirely on the disease that provoked this symptom.

The standard examination algorithm required for the diagnosis of gross violations includes clinical tests blood and urine, chest X-ray, electrocardiography. Additional Methods diagnostics are assigned according to the results of the indicated examination and on the basis of characteristic complaints and the results of the examination of the patient.

This may be an examination of narrow specialists: an ENT specialist, a cardiologist, an endocrinologist, a neurologist, a pulmonologist, an allergist, a traumatologist, thoracic surgeon. Additional diagnostics: daily monitoring of cardiac activity according to Holter, ultrasound of the heart, blood vessels, pleural cavities, dopplerography of blood vessels, angiography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, examination of the function of external respiration, allergic tests, culture and sputum analysis, blood test for specific markers, endoscopic diagnostic methods and others .

Features of the treatment of lack of air will be made up of the diagnosis and the results of the examination.

Therapy may be aimed at:

elimination of infection;
removal of the pathological focus;
swelling reduction and allergic inflammation fabrics;
improvement of airway patency;
facilitating sputum discharge;
improve the fluid properties of blood;
increase in the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
improving the permeability of the alveolar-capillary barrier;
maintaining adequate pumping function of the heart;
elimination of tissue hypoxia;
stabilization of the neuroendocrine system.

Not enough air: causes of breathing difficulties - cardiogenic, pulmonary, psychogenic, others

Breathing is a natural physiological act that occurs constantly and which most of us do not pay attention to, because the body itself regulates the depth and frequency of respiratory movements depending on the situation. The feeling that there is not enough air, perhaps, is familiar to everyone. It can appear after a quick jog, climbing stairs to a high floor, with strong excitement, but healthy body quickly copes with such shortness of breath, bringing breathing back to normal.

If short-term shortness of breath after exercise does not cause serious concerns, quickly disappearing during rest, then a prolonged or sudden onset of a sharp difficulty in breathing can signal a serious pathology, often requiring immediate treatment. An acute lack of air when the airways are closed by a foreign body, pulmonary edema, an asthmatic attack can cost a life, so any respiratory disorder requires clarification of its cause and timely treatment.

In the process of breathing and providing tissues with oxygen, not only the respiratory system is involved, although its role, of course, is paramount. It is impossible to imagine breathing without the proper functioning of the muscular frame of the chest and diaphragm, the heart and blood vessels, and the brain. Breathing is influenced by the composition of the blood, hormonal status, the activity of the nerve centers of the brain and many external causes- sports training, plentiful food, emotions.

The body successfully adjusts to fluctuations in the concentration of gases in the blood and tissues, increasing, if necessary, the frequency of respiratory movements. With a lack of oxygen or increased needs in it, breathing quickens. Acidosis, which accompanies a number of infectious diseases, fever, tumors, provokes an increase in breathing to remove excess carbon dioxide from the blood and normalize its composition. These mechanisms turn on themselves, without our will and efforts, but in some cases they become pathological.

Any respiratory disorder, even if its cause seems obvious and harmless, requires examination and a differentiated approach to treatment, therefore, if you feel that there is not enough air, it is better to immediately go to a general practitioner, cardiologist, neurologist, psychotherapist.

Causes and types of respiratory failure

When it is difficult for a person to breathe and there is not enough air, they speak of shortness of breath. This sign is considered an adaptive act in response to an existing pathology or reflects the natural physiological process of adaptation to changing external conditions. In some cases, it becomes difficult to breathe, but an unpleasant feeling of lack of air does not occur, since hypoxia is eliminated by an increased frequency of respiratory movements - in case of carbon monoxide poisoning, work in breathing apparatus, a sharp rise to a height.

Shortness of breath is inspiratory and expiratory. In the first case, there is not enough air when inhaling, in the second - when exhaling, but it is also possible mixed type when it is difficult to both inhale and exhale.

Shortness of breath does not always accompany the disease, it is physiological, and this is a completely natural condition. The causes of physiological shortness of breath are:

Physical exercise;
Excitement, strong emotional experiences;
Being in a stuffy, poorly ventilated room, in the highlands.

Physiological increase in breathing occurs reflexively and passes after a short time. People with poor physical condition who have a sedentary "office" job experience shortness of breath in response to physical effort more often than those who regularly visit the gym, pool or just take daily walks. As general physical development improves, shortness of breath occurs less frequently.

Pathological shortness of breath can develop acutely or disturb constantly, even at rest, significantly aggravated by the slightest physical effort. A person suffocates when the airways are quickly closed by a foreign body, swelling of the tissues of the larynx, lungs and other serious conditions. When breathing in this case, the body does not receive the necessary even minimal amount of oxygen, and other severe disorders are added to shortness of breath.

The main pathological reasons for which it is difficult to breathe are:

Diseases of the respiratory system - pulmonary dyspnea;
Pathology of the heart and blood vessels - cardiac dyspnea;
Violations nervous regulation the act of breathing - shortness of breath of the central type;
Violation of the gas composition of the blood - hematogenous shortness of breath.

cardiac causes

Heart disease is one of the most common reasons why it becomes difficult to breathe. The patient complains that he does not have enough air and presses in the chest, notes the appearance of edema on the legs, cyanosis of the skin, fatigue etc. Usually, patients whose breathing is disturbed against the background of changes in the heart have already been examined and are even taking appropriate drugs, but shortness of breath can not only persist, but in some cases is aggravated.

With a pathology of the heart, there is not enough air when inhaling, that is, inspiratory dyspnea. It accompanies heart failure, can persist even at rest in its severe stages, is aggravated at night when the patient lies.

The most common causes of cardiac dyspnea are:

Cardiac ischemia;
arrhythmias;
Cardiomyopathy and myocardial dystrophy;
Defects - congenital lead to shortness of breath in childhood and even the neonatal period;
Inflammatory processes in the myocardium, pericarditis;
Heart failure.

The occurrence of breathing difficulties in cardiac pathology is most often associated with the progression of heart failure, in which either there is no adequate cardiac output and tissues suffer from hypoxia, or congestion occurs in the lungs due to failure of the left ventricular myocardium (cardiac asthma).

In addition to shortness of breath, often combined with a dry, painful cough, people with cardiac pathology have other characteristic complaints that somewhat facilitate diagnosis - pain in the heart area, “evening” edema, cyanosis skin, interruptions in the heart. It becomes more difficult to breathe in the supine position, so most patients even sleep half-sitting, thus reducing the flow venous blood from the legs to the heart and manifestations of shortness of breath.

symptoms of heart failure

With an attack of cardiac asthma, which can quickly turn into alveolar pulmonary edema, the patient literally suffocates - the respiratory rate exceeds 20 per minute, the face turns blue, the cervical veins swell, the sputum becomes foamy. Pulmonary edema requires emergency care.

Treatment of cardiac dyspnea depends on the underlying cause that caused it. An adult patient with heart failure is prescribed diuretics (furosemide, veroshpiron, diacarb), ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril, etc.), beta-blockers and antiarrhythmics, cardiac glycosides, oxygen therapy.

Children are shown diuretics (diacarb), and drugs of other groups are strictly dosed due to possible side effects and contraindications in childhood. birth defects, in which the child begins to choke from the very first months of life, may require urgent surgical correction and even heart transplants.

Pulmonary causes

Lung pathology is the second reason leading to difficulty in breathing, while both inhalation and exhalation are possible. Pulmonary pathology with respiratory failure is:

Chronic obstructive diseases - asthma, bronchitis, pneumosclerosis, pneumoconiosis, pulmonary emphysema;
Pneumo- and hydrothorax;
tumors;
Foreign bodies of the respiratory tract;
Thromboembolism in the branches pulmonary arteries.

Chronic inflammatory and sclerotic changes in the lung parenchyma greatly contribute to respiratory failure. They are aggravated by smoking, poor environmental conditions, recurrent infections of the respiratory system. Shortness of breath at first worries during physical exertion, gradually acquiring the character of a permanent one, as the disease passes into a more severe and irreversible stage of the course.

With pathology of the lungs, the gas composition of the blood is disturbed, there is a lack of oxygen, which, first of all, is not enough for the head and brain. Severe hypoxia provokes metabolic disorders in the nervous tissue and the development of encephalopathy.

Patients with bronchial asthma are well aware of how breathing is disturbed during an attack: it becomes very difficult to exhale, discomfort and even pain in the chest appear, arrhythmia is possible, sputum is coughed up with difficulty and is extremely scarce, the cervical veins swell. Patients with this shortness of breath sit with their hands on their knees - this position reduces venous return and stress on the heart, alleviating the condition. Most often it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air for such patients at night or in the early morning hours.

In a severe asthma attack, the patient suffocates, the skin becomes bluish tinge, panic and some confusion are possible, and status asthmaticus may be accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness.

With respiratory disorders due to chronic pulmonary pathology, the appearance of the patient changes: the chest becomes barrel-shaped, the spaces between the ribs increase, the cervical veins are large and dilated, as well as the peripheral veins of the extremities. Extension right half of the heart against the background of sclerotic processes in the lungs leads to its insufficiency, and shortness of breath becomes mixed and more severe, that is, not only the lungs cannot cope with breathing, but the heart cannot provide adequate blood flow, overfilling the venous part with blood great circle circulation.

There is not enough air also in case of pneumonia, pneumothorax, hemothorax. With inflammation of the lung parenchyma, it becomes not only difficult to breathe, the temperature also rises, there are obvious signs of intoxication on the face, and coughing is accompanied by sputum production.

An extremely serious cause of sudden respiratory failure is the entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract. It can be a piece of food or a small part of a toy that the baby accidentally inhales while playing. The victim with a foreign body begins to suffocate, turns blue, quickly loses consciousness, cardiac arrest is possible if help does not arrive in time.

Thromboembolism of the pulmonary vessels can also lead to sudden and rapidly increasing shortness of breath, cough. It occurs more often than a person suffering from pathology of the vessels of the legs, heart, destructive processes in the pancreas. With thromboembolism, the condition can be extremely severe with an increase in asphyxia, blue skin, quick stop respiration and heartbeat.

In some cases, severe shortness of breath is caused by allergies and Quincke's edema, which are also accompanied by stenosis of the lumen of the larynx. The cause may be a food allergen, a wasp sting, inhalation of plant pollen, a drug. In these cases, both the child and the adult require emergency medical care to stop allergic reaction, and in case of asphyxia may require a tracheostomy and artificial ventilation lungs.

Treatment of pulmonary dyspnea should be differentiated. If the cause of everything is a foreign body, then it must be removed as soon as possible, with allergic edema the child and the adult are shown the introduction antihistamines, glucocorticoid hormones, adrenaline. In case of asphyxia, a tracheo- or conicotomy is performed.

In bronchial asthma, treatment is multistage, including beta-agonists (salbutamol) in sprays, anticholinergics (ipratropium bromide), methylxanthines (eufillin), glucocorticosteroids (triamcinolone, prednisolone).

Acute and chronic inflammatory processes require antibacterial and detoxification therapy, and compression of the lungs with pneumo- or hydrothorax, impaired airway patency by a tumor is an indication for surgery (puncture of the pleural cavity, thoracotomy, removal of part of the lung, etc.).

Cerebral causes

In some cases, breathing difficulties are associated with brain damage, because the most important nerve centers that regulate the activity of the lungs, blood vessels, and heart are located there. Shortness of breath of this type is characteristic of structural damage to the brain tissue - trauma, neoplasm, stroke, edema, encephalitis, etc.

Violations respiratory function in brain pathology are very diverse: it is possible both to slow down breathing and to increase it, the appearance of different types abnormal breathing. Many patients with severe brain pathology are on artificial lung ventilation, as they simply cannot breathe on their own.

The toxic effect of the waste products of microbes, fever leads to an increase in hypoxia and acidification internal environment body, which causes shortness of breath - the patient breathes often and noisily. Thus, the body seeks to quickly get rid of excess carbon dioxide and provide tissues with oxygen.

Relatively harmless reason cerebral dyspnea can be considered functional disorders in the activity of the brain and peripheral nervous system - autonomic dysfunction, neurosis, hysteria. In these cases, shortness of breath is of a “nervous” nature, and in some cases this is noticeable to the naked eye, even to a non-specialist.

With vegetative dystonia, neurotic disorders and banal hysteria, the patient seems to lack air, he makes frequent respiratory movements, while he can scream, cry and behave extremely defiantly. A person during a crisis may even complain that he is suffocating, but there are no physical signs of asphyxia - he does not turn blue, and the internal organs continue to work correctly.

Respiratory disorders in neurosis and other disorders of the psyche and emotional sphere are safely removed with sedatives, but often doctors encounter patients in whom such nervous shortness of breath becomes permanent, the patient concentrates on this symptom, sighs often and breathes rapidly during stress or emotional outburst.

Treatment of cerebral dyspnea is carried out by resuscitators, therapists, psychiatrists. In severe brain damage with the impossibility of independent breathing, the patient is being artificially ventilated. In the case of a tumor, it must be removed, and neuroses and hysterical forms of difficulty in breathing must be stopped with sedatives, tranquilizers and neuroleptics in severe cases.

Hematogenous causes

Hematogenous shortness of breath occurs when the chemical composition of the blood is disturbed, when the concentration of carbon dioxide increases in it and acidosis develops due to the circulation of acidic metabolic products. This disorder of breathing is manifested in anemia of the different origin, malignant tumors, severe kidney failure, diabetic coma, severe intoxication.

With hematogenous shortness of breath, the patient complains that he often lacks air, but the process of inhalation and exhalation is not disturbed, the lungs and heart do not have obvious organic changes. A detailed examination shows that the cause of frequent breathing, in which the feeling that there is not enough air, is shifts in the electrolyte and gas composition of the blood.

Treatment of anemia involves the appointment of iron preparations, vitamins, rational nutrition, blood transfusions, depending on the cause. With renal liver failure detoxification therapy, hemodialysis, infusion therapy are carried out.

Other causes of difficulty breathing

Many people know the feeling when apparent reason not take a breath without a sharp pain in the chest or back. Most are immediately scared, thinking about a heart attack and clutching at validol, but the reason may be different - osteochondrosis, herniated disc, intercostal neuralgia.

With intercostal neuralgia, the patient feels severe pain in half of the chest, aggravated by movement and inhalation, especially impressionable patients may panic, breathe quickly and shallowly. With osteochondrosis, it is difficult to inhale, and constant pain in the spine can provoke chronic shortness of breath, which can be difficult to distinguish from shortness of breath in pulmonary or cardiac pathologies.

Treatment of breathing difficulties in diseases of the musculoskeletal system includes exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage, drug support in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics.

Many expectant mothers complain that as the pregnancy progresses, it becomes more difficult for them to breathe. This symptom may well fit into the norm, because the growing uterus and fetus raise the diaphragm and reduce the expansion of the lungs, hormonal changes and the formation of the placenta contribute to an increase in the number of respiratory movements to provide the tissues of both organisms with oxygen.

However, during pregnancy, breathing should be carefully assessed so as not to miss a serious pathology behind its seemingly natural increase, which can be anemia, thromboembolic syndrome, progression of heart failure with a defect in a woman, etc.

One of the most dangerous reasons, according to which a woman can begin to choke during pregnancy, is considered pulmonary embolism. This condition is a threat to life, accompanied by a sharp increase in breathing, which becomes noisy and ineffective. Possible asphyxia and death without emergency care.

Thus, having considered only the most common causes of difficulty breathing, it becomes clear that this symptom can indicate dysfunction of almost all organs or systems of the body, and in some cases it is difficult to isolate the main pathogenic factor. Patients who find it difficult to breathe need a thorough examination, and if the patient is suffocating, emergency qualified assistance is needed.

Any case of shortness of breath requires a trip to the doctor to find out its cause, self-medication in this case is unacceptable and can lead to very serious consequences. This is especially true for respiratory disorders in children, pregnant women and sudden attacks shortness of breath in people of any age.

Lack of fresh air symptoms. Breathing is hard, difficult: why there is not enough air, reasons for what to do

Symptomatic manifestations

Bronchial asthma

Tumor processes in the lungs

Bronchiectasis and emphysema

Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels

Psycho-emotional states

About the benefits of sports

External influences

Diseases of the respiratory organs

stressful state

iron deficiency

Overweight and heart disease

Causes of the feeling of lack of air

cardiac

Pulmonary

For diseases of the nervous system

Hematological

Other factors

If other symptoms are added

sudden shortness of breath

Cough

Chest pain and anxiety

Dizziness

heartbeat

Feeling short of breath in the throat

Causes of suffocation at night

How to help yourself if it suddenly arose

Treatment for shortness of breath

Why there is not enough air: reasons

Asthma bronchial

Oncological neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs

bronchiectasis

Heart disease

Emphysema

Psychosomatic causes

Obesity

Out of breath: symptoms of shortness of breath

Not enough air: diagnostics

Lack of air: treatment, what to do?

Lack of air: prevention

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