Struggling to breathe? 8 medical reasons you should know

What is breathlessness or dyspnea?
Breathlessness, or dyspnea, is the feeling of difficulty or discomfort while breathing. It can be caused by heart, lung, or mental health issues. You may feel chest tightness or a need for more air. Anxiety and fear can make it worse, often leading to faster breathing.

Your medical history matters
Depending on how the breathlessness began—did it develop quickly, did it increase in a certain position (for example, while lying down, called orthopnea), did you have any infection before this, or any stressful situation that may have triggered an anxiety attack or an inability to take deep breaths, the doctor may find the exact cause

Anaemia and low haemoglobin
Whether it is due to a deficiency of iron or of vitamin B12, anaemia often presents with breathlessness. Common in women of menstruating age group, it is crucial to get your haemoglobin levels checked and confirm the type. Green leafy vegetables and groundnuts are often recommended as a lifestyle modification

Asthma attack
If you have been diagnosed with asthma before, the attack of breathlessness now could be attributed to asthma. You may experience an increased respiratory rate, chest tightness, and air hunger. Wheezing sounds may also be heard commonly, and your neck muscles may become more prominent

COPD and smoking
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, often referred to as COPD, is a disease commonly seen in people who have a history of smoking or a deficiency of a certain alpha-1 antitrypsin enzyme. It causes breathlessness and fast breathing, and can be diagnosed with a chest X-ray.

Signs of Pulmonary Hypertension
An increased blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs results in pulmonary hypertension. This type of dyspnea is often associated with an elevated respiratory rate. The doctor may advise an electrocardiogram and even a 2D ECHO to confirm and find the cause

Signs of heart failure
Usually, a left heart failure can cause difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, dyspnea while lying down, coughing at night, wheezing, and also fatigue. An extra heart sound called the S3 gallop may be heard using a stethoscope

Anxiety-related breathlessness
If you have recently experienced any situation that caused you excessive mental duress, then an attack of anxiety can produce breathlessness along with an increased heart rate. The blood pressure may also be elevated in some people, and you may experience sweating. It is necessary to contact a mental health professional for this

Mitral valve narrowing
The heart has four chambers and, consequently, four areas with valves to regulate blood flow. In this condition, the valve thickens, leading to reduced blood flow into the left lower heart chamber (ventricle). Dyspnea occurs in such cases after exertion, like heavy exercises, cycling, running, etc

When to seek help
You must contact your healthcare professional and confirm your diagnosis. While dyspnea may not seem worthy of your attention, it may be pointing to an underlying cause that should be identified and treated timely