Dyspnea, also known as dyspnea in medical terms; shortness of breath can be defined as not being able to breathe deeply or starving for air. Normally, breathing is an unconscious action by the brain that goes unnoticed unless the person pays attention. In the presence of shortness of breath, the person thinks that the air he breathes is not enough for him and that he needs to make a special effort to breathe. This situation, also known as oxygen starvation among the people, can be caused by different diseases related to the lungs and heart. In such cases, the person is out of breath while performing activities that require effort, such as climbing stairs, and often wants to rest and breathe. In some cases, the person may feel short of breath while at rest. Complaints of shortness of breath, which increase especially in the summer months, can be caused by lung diseases, as well as due to the increase in the load on the heart during the summer. It is one of the unconscious actions. A person is not expected to feel their breathing, except during out-of-the-box activities or activities that cause a rapid heart rate. However, if the person has a problem such as shortness of breath, the person becomes aware of his breathing. Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, as it is commonly known among the people, can be defined as breathing in a distressing way that the person realizes. The discomfort, also known as oxygen starvation, can be severe enough to interfere with the person's daily activities and reduce their quality of life. Shortness of breath, which can develop due to psychological reasons as well as lung and heart diseases, is evaluated under two separate headings as pulmonary and extrapulmonary causes. However, shortness of breath can also occur gradually over time. It causes complaints such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and shortness of breath. Shortness of breath is a subjective condition. Therefore, the definition and severity of shortness of breath differ according to the person, geography and culture. Before moving on to the causes of shortness of breath, the frequently asked "What It is necessary to answer the question "What are the symptoms of shortness of breath?" All complaints of shortness of breath, which can be chronic or chronic, should be taken seriously. The cause of the discomfort should be investigated and the focal disease should be treated. Some of the symptoms that occur in the presence of shortness of breath can be listed as follows:
- Difficulty breathing,
- Fast breathing
- Feeling of tightness in the chest area,
- Feeling as if you are suffocating,
- Wheezing,
/li> - Air hunger,
- Chronic or sudden onset cough,
- Bloody sputum,
- Difficulty breathing at rest ,
- Blues on lips and hands,
- Heart palpitations,
- Constant cessation of speech due to breathlessness,
- Edema in the lower legs and feet,
- The need to stop and breathe during daily activities,
- Headache,
- Dizziness,
- Consciousness disorder,
- Weight loss,
- Weakness,
- Fatigue.
What are the Causes of Shortness of Breath?
Shortness of breath can cause strain, air hunger, It consumes more power than before. Shortness of breath, which can be defined as the person's difficulty in breathing or not being able to breathe enough, is mostly seen due to the diseases existing in the lungs.
However, dyspnea can also be caused by heart diseases or psychological reasons. This discomfort, which causes difficulty in breathing and breathing, can lead to many different diseases by causing the tissues and organs with vital functions to not be adequately oxygenated. Obesity can cause a person's lungs to not get enough air, which can cause shortness of breath. In the presence of anemia, a person may complain of shortness of breath due to the decrease in red blood cells (RBC, erythrocytes, red blood cells). These diseases often cause shortness of breath. Lower and/or upper respiratory tract infections, which can be caused by different microorganisms, can cause narrowing of the airways of the person. The presence of allergic rhinitis, asthma, COPD, pneumonia, (pneumonia) bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis diseases, known as hay fever among the people, can cause shortness of breath. The feeling of shortness of breath in COPD begins with exercise and tends to increase gradually. Shortness of breath is less common in patients with asthma. Shortness of breath may also develop in the presence of diseases such as pleural fluid in the lung, or in other words, fluid collection in the pleura, pneumothorax, that is, complete or partial collapse of the lung. In the presence of pulmonary embolism (coagulation in the veins leading to the lungs), which can lead to deterioration of the person's life functions, the person may develop shortness of breath. In addition to diseases such as chronic bronchitis and lung cancer, environmental factors such as smoking, breathing harmful chemicals, living in an industrial area, environment and air pollution can also cause shortness of breath.
- Depending on the Heart. Developing Shortness of Breath: In addition to respiratory system diseases, shortness of breath can also be seen in the presence of diseases related to the heart and circulatory system. However, shortness of breath that develops due to the heart does not usually occur suddenly. The person's complaint of shortness of breath occurs over time and becomes more and more severe. This situation, which the person can tolerate without realizing it at first, causes an increase in complaints as the disease progresses. Shortness of breath, which is one of the early symptoms of heart attack, can also be caused by different heart diseases such as heart palpitations from time to time. Diseases such as heart failure, cardiac tamponade, (fluid accumulation around the heart), high blood pressure, (hypertension) and coronary artery occlusion may also cause shortness of breath.
- Breath Developing Due to Psychological Reasons Stenosis: Panic attacks, claustrophobia, intense stress, anxiety and some other mood disorders, which are a type of anxiety disorder, can cause the person to feel short of breath or as if they are suffocating.
Breathing How is Stenosis Diagnosed?
After the patient applies to the physician with the complaint of shortness of breath, the physician takes the patient's anamnesis and performs a physical examination. The physician may request many different techniques such as chest X-ray, CT, pulmonary function tests, coronary angiography, ECG and ECO, as well as laboratory tests that help the diagnosis. In the light of all the findings obtained, the diagnosis of the focal disease that causes shortness of breath is made.
How to Treat Shortness of Breath?
To prevent the complaint of shortness of breath, quitting smoking, chemicals or polluting for a long time It is recommended not to breathe air. Shortness of breath is a kind of symptom that occurs due to a different underlying disease. Therefore, the treatment of shortness of breath is done in different ways according to the focal disease.
Sudden development of shortness of breath may require urgent intervention. In such cases, the person is given oxygen with a mask to increase the oxygen level. In severe cases, positive pressure ventilation is applied. Thus, while resting the tired muscles of the person, it is ensured to breathe in a healthy way.
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