What Shortness of Breath Could Mean

Seeking Appropriate Medical Care For Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath sometimes referred to as dyspnea, is unsettling at best. Your chest may feel tight, you have difficulty breathing, and you may feel as though you are suffocating. It’s normal to be short of breath after strenuous exercise, exposure to extremely hot or cold temperatures, or higher altitudes. But if you are short of breath regularly, you need to seek appropriate medical care. 

What Shortness of Breath Could Mean

There are many medical reasons why someone may be short of breath – some acute and some chronic – that could be an indicator of the following conditions: 

• A severe allergic reaction
• Asthma
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• The build-up of excess fluid around the heart
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Pneumonia and other pulmonary infections including flu, the common cold, and streptococcus
• Collapsed lung
• Sudden loss of blood
• Pulmonary embolism
• Upper airway construction