The basic function of the lungs is to take oxygen out of the air we breathe in exchange for the carbon dioxide dissolved in the blood. This exchange takes place across a very thin membrane that separates the blood in the lungs from the air we inhale.
As we age, the lungs become stiffer and less elastic, the airways shrink, and the chest muscles weaken. These and other changes cause the total flow of air into and out of the lungs to decrease. Cigarette smoking, air pollution, and previous occupational exposures to hazards (eg, soot or asbestos) also have a negative effect on lung health. Other illnesses also affect lung health. For example, heart failure often causes fluid to back up into the lungs, causing poor air exchange and difficulty breathing. All together, these changes and conditions increase the chances of developing breathing problems as we age.
Signs and Symptoms of Breathing Problems
Because so many different conditions can trigger breathing problems, the symptoms also are varied. Individuals should promptly consult with a physician after experiencing any of the following symptoms:
? Unexplained shortness of breath
? Wheezing (a whistling or high-pitched sound when breathing)
? Shortness of breath after mild activity
? Dizziness or confusion
? Waking up short of breath, or using extra pillows to prop up the head as a means of avoiding shortness of breath
? Barking, croupy cough or tightness in the throat
? Hyperventilation (breathing more than the body needs)
? Significant or continuous cough
? Fever associated with breathing problems
? Gurgling sounds coming from the chest
Seriousl Breathing Problems
Immediate medical attention should be sought when breathing problems seriously interfere with breathing or when breathing completely stops. Individuals should also seek emergency medical attention when breathing problems are accompanied by:
? Chest pain
? Sweating
? Nausea or vomiting
? Bluish lips and fingernails (cyanosis)
? Inability to speak
? Swelling of the face, tongue or throat
? Hives
? Rapid or irregular heartbeat
? Coughing up large amounts of blood
? Excessive drooling
Causes
Difficulty breathing has many potential causes. Some of the most common are:
? Sudden illness or infections like pneumonia, acute bronchitis, whooping cough, croup, or epiglottitis
? Heart disease, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or heart failure
? Heart attack
? Injury to the neck, chest wall, or lungs
? Collapsed lung, which can happen if you have emphysema or asthma, but may also happen spontaneously in young, healthy people
? High altitudes, which can be a problem even in young people
? Cigarette smoking or breathing secondhand smoke
? Pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in the lung, which can cause very abrupt and severe difficulty breathing
? Life-threatening allergic reaction
Emergency treatment for breathing problems
If an individual is suffering from severe, acute breathing problems and needs emergency help, take the following steps:
? Check the person’s airway, breathing and circulation and begin rescue breathing or CPR if necessary
? Loosen tight clothing
? Help the person use a prescribed inhaler, oxygen or other medications
? Monitor the person until help arrives
? Bandage open wounds in the neck and chest immediately, especially if air bubbles appear in the wounds
? Close open wounds in the chest cavity with a bandage to prevent air from getting in and causing a collapsed lung.
Use a plastic wrap or gauze pads covered with petroleum jelly and seal it except for one corner (to allow trapped air to escape the chest).
Once at the hospital, treatments will vary depending on the condition or other factor causing the breathing problem. For instance, asthma-related breathing disorders may be treated with bronchodilators while people with emphysema may be given oxygen.
Prevention
? Make sure your child obtains the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.
? When traveling by airplane, get up and walk around once in awhile to avoid forming blood clots in your legs. Clots can break off and lodge in your lungs. If traveling by car, stop and walk around regularly.
? Lose weight. You are more likely to feel winded if you are overweight. You are also at greater risk for heart disease and heart attack.
? Wear a medical alert tag if you have a pre-existing breathing condition, such as asthma.
? If you have a history of severe allergic reactions, carry an epinephrine pen and wear a medical alert tag. Your doctor will teach you how to use the epi pen.
? If you have asthma or allergies, eliminate household allergy triggers like dust mites and mold.
? Don’t smoke and keep away from secondhand smoke. Don’t allow smoking in your home.
? If you have asthma , see the article on asthma to learn ways to manage it.
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