When should I worry about breathlessness: Breathing is an automatic process and an important one too. If a person is not able to breathe properly, they cannot think of living their life peacefully. The same is the case with people dealing with breathlessness issues.
In some cases, breathlessness is common, but if it is happening frequently, it is a matter of concern and one needs to reach out to the doctor for treatment.
But some people have no idea when the condition is turning out to be serious and they need to worry about it. Well, by keeping the same in mind, here we are discussing the condition that indicates it is serious and you need to reach out to the doctor promptly. Let’s get started!
Conditions indicating that the breathlessness issue is getting serious:
There are certain conditions that indicate that you cannot ignore the condition and have to reach the doctor. These are:
1. Swelling in your feet and ankles:
Swelling in your feet and ankles can be a symptom of serious health problems. It is important to know what the symptoms are and how to deal with them. As the body’s circulatory system is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body, if it starts getting congested due to swelling in your feet or ankles, it can cause breathlessness.
Furthermore, this symptom can be caused by different conditions, including pneumonia, heart failure, lung cancer, and more.
2. Breathing difficulties when lying flat:
When you lie down, your diaphragm relaxes and your chest cavity expands. This causes your lungs to fill with air, which decreases the amount of space for oxygen in the alveoli (air sacs) and makes it harder for you to take in enough oxygen.
Breathing trouble when you lie flat is a symptom of breathlessness. It is also known as dyspnea and can be caused by many different factors, such as heart disease, sleep apnea, COPD, asthma, and other lung diseases.
3. High fever:
High fever is a symptom that occurs when the body’s temperature rises above normal, that is, 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The symptoms of high fever are usually breathlessness, fatigue, and sweating.
3. Chills and a cough:
Chills and cough are two symptoms that often go hand in hand. They have similar meanings, and both of them can be serious. Chills are a set of involuntary shivers that usually start in the head, but they can also be felt all over the body. A cough is a sudden, forceful expulsion of air from the lungs accompanied by a tickling sensation.
Both of them are linked with breathlessness, and hence one needs to be sure that they need to approach the doctor for treatment.
4. Wheezing:
Wheezing is a serious symptom of breathlessness. It means that there is a problem with the airways. The most common causes of wheezing are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and other lung diseases.
Furthermore, wheezing can also take place by a foreign object in the airways, such as mucus or pollen. Other causes include allergies or infections like pneumonia or bronchitis.
5. Chest pain or discomfort:
Chest pain or discomfort is a common symptom that occurs when the heart is working too hard and overworking itself. It could also be caused by an injury such as a heart attack, but it can also occur in healthy people. It can be due to a serious breathlessness issue.
6. You feel as if you can’t catch your breath:
Feeling like you can’t catch your breath is a serious symptom of an underlying medical condition. It can be caused by a number of things, including heart disease, pneumonia, asthma, and COPD.
If you have been feeling like you can’t catch your breath for more than 10 minutes at a time or if it happens often, it’s important to see your doctor.
Breathlessness Treatment in Jaipur
Here we have shared all the aspects that will help you realise that you need to reach out to the doctor for treatment. If you are confused about whom to approach to deal with your breathlessness issue, visit Jaipur and fix an appointment with Dr. Pankaj Gulati.
He is one of the best pulmonologists in Jaipur, having years of experience in treating people dealing with such conditions. You can let him know about the entire episode you are going through so that he can understand how to start your treatment and help you deal with it. For sure, after following the treatment he is suggesting, you will be able to get rid of it.
FAQ: (When should I worry about breathlessness)
Q.1 – What is the most common cause of breathlessness?
Answer – The most common cause of breathlessness is asthma. Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the airways in the lungs have inflammation and narrow, making it difficult for air to move in and out of them.
Q.2 – How can a person manage their breathlessness?
Answer – It is important for people to know that there are many ways to manage their breathlessness for the best results. Some of these include:
- Exercises regularly
- Managing stress levels
- Using a humidifier and/or air purifier
- Avoiding alcohol and tobacco products
Q.3 – How can I stop my breathlessness from getting worse?
Answer – The following are some of the ways you can stop your breathlessness from getting worse.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid smoking, alcohol, and other substances that could worsen your respiratory condition.
- Exercise regularly to keep your lungs healthy.
Q.4 – Can there be any long-term effects of breathlessness?
Answer – The effects of breathlessness vary depending on the disease a person experiences with it.. For example, some people may experience shortness of breath when they are lying down due to heart failure, while others may experience it when they are exercising too hard due to asthma.
Breathlessness can also cause physical complications such as dizziness and lightheadedness that can lead to falls or accidents.