Trouble Breathing at Night? | Enticare Specialist

Most cases of shortness of breath are due to heart or lung conditions. Your heart and lungs are involved in transporting oxygen to your tissues and removing carbon dioxide, and problems with either of these processes affect your breathing.

If shortness of breath happens when you're clearly not exerting yourself, when you're doing something you normally could do without feeling winded, or comes on suddenly, those are warning signs that a heart issue could potentially be to blame.

First Aid For Difficulty Breathing - Loosen any tight clothing. Help the person use any prescribed medicine (such as an asthma inhaler or home oxygen). Continue to monitor the person's breathing and pulse until medical help arrives. DO NOT assume that the person's condition is improving if you can no longer hear abnormal breath sounds, such as wheezing.

Heart and blood conditions

• Anemia.
• Heart failure.
• Conditions that affect your heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
• Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia).
• Inflammation in or around your heart (endocarditis, pericarditis or myocarditis).
• Other conditions
• Anxiety.

Injury that makes breathing difficult (like a broken rib).
Medication. Statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) and beta-blockers (used to treat high blood pressure) are two types of medications that can cause dyspnea.

• Extreme temperatures (being very hot or very cold).
• Body mass index (BMI) over 30.
• Lack of exercise (muscle deconditioning).
• Sleep apnea can cause paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND).
• Care and Treatment
• How do I know what’s causing my shortness of breath?
• To try to figure out what’s causing your dyspnea, your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope and taking your blood pressure. They’ll put a sensor on your finger to see how much oxygen you have in your blood.

They may also do additional testing, including:

• Chest X-ray, CT scans or other special imaging tests. Your provider can use pictures of the inside of your chest to know if there’s an issue with your lungs.
• Blood tests. Your provider can use blood tests to look for anemia or illnesses.
• Lung function tests. Tests that indicate how well you’re breathing.
• Cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Your provider will have you use a treadmill or stationary bike for this test. The tests can tell your provider the amount of oxygen you take in and carbon dioxide you let out during exercise.

How is shortness of breath (dyspnea) treated?
How you treat shortness of breath depends on what’s causing it. If you have an underlying medical condition, you’ll need to address it for your symptoms to improve.

Treatments that can improve your breathing include:

• Exercise. Exercise can strengthen your heart and lungs so they don’t have to work as hard.
• Relaxation techniques. Your provider can give you relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to practice. These can help with dyspnea from underlying breathing conditions, as well as anxiety.
• Medication. Inhaled drugs called bronchodilators can relax your airways and are prescribed for asthma and COPD. Medication to relieve pain or anxiety can help with breathlessness.
• Oxygen therapy. Your healthcare provider will prescribe extra oxygen if your blood oxygen level is too low. It’s delivered through a mask or tube in your nose.
• Can dyspnea be cured?
• Most people experience shortness of breath occasionally. You can usually treat what’s causing dyspnea, but it may come back, especially if you have an underlying condition.

How can I prevent shortness of breath?
You can help prevent shortness of breath by:

• Making a care plan with your provider to manage any underlying conditions and sticking to it. This includes what kind of medications to take and when to take them, exercise plans, breathing treatments and any other treatment recommended by your provider.
• Avoiding inhaling chemicals that can irritate your lungs, like paint fumes and car exhaust.
• Practicing breathing exercises or relaxation techniques.
• Not smoking.
• Maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you.
• Avoiding activity when it’s very hot or very cold or when humidity is high. If you have lung disease, look for air pollution (ozone) alerts (you can usually find them with the weather forecast). Avoid being outside when air pollution is high.
• Care at Cleveland Clinic
• Find a Primary Care Provider
• Schedule an Appointment
• When to Call the Doctor
• When should I see a healthcare provider?
• Contact a healthcare provider if you have severe shortness of breath or if your breathlessness interferes with your everyday activities. Sometimes, shortness of breath is a sign of a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

If you have a condition that makes you short of breath often, ask a healthcare provider if there are additional treatments to help you breathe better.

Is dyspnea life-threatening?
Dyspnea on its own usually isn’t dangerous, but sometimes, shortness of breath can be a sign of a life-threatening condition. Go to the nearest ER if you have:

• Sudden difficulty breathing.
• Severe breathlessness (can’t catch your breath).
• Breathlessness after 30 minutes of rest.
• Blue skin, lips or nails (cyanosis).
• Chest pain or heaviness.
• Fast or irregular heartbeat (heart palpitations).
• High fever.
• Stridor (high-pitched sound) or wheezing (whistling sound) when breathing.
• Swollen ankles or feet.