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You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Medical Symptoms Guide > Breathing Difficulty

Breathing Difficulty

Provided by A.D.A.M.

Definition

Overview & Considerations

Common Causes

Home Care & Treatment

Call your Health Care Provider if

What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

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Alternate Names : Breathlessness, Difficulty Breathing, Dyspnea, Shortness of Breath


Definition

Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing - first aid.

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Lungs
Lungs

Emphysema
Emphysema

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Overview & Considerations

No standard definition exists for difficulty breathing. For some, a sense of breathlessness may occur with only mild exercise (for example, climbing stairs) without indicating the presence of a specific disorder. Others may have advanced lung disease and difficulty exchanging air but may never feel a sensation of shortness of breath.

In some circumstances, a small degree of breathing difficulty may be normal. Severe nasal congestion is one example. Strenuous exercise, especially when a person does not exercise regularly, is another. In many situations, however, difficulty breathing represents the presence of significant disease and should be evaluated by a health care provider immediately.

Wheezing is one form of breathing difficulty. See also rapid breathing, apnea, and other lung diseases.



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Definition
Breathing Difficulty: Overview & Considerations
Breathing Difficulty: Common Causes
Breathing Difficulty: Home Care & Treatment
Call your Health Care Provider if
What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
Pictures & Images

Topics that might be of interest to you

Diseases & Conditions

Allergies
Arrhythmias
Asthma
Emphysema
Heart Attack
Heart Failure
Lung Disease
Panic Disorder
Pneumonia
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Tests & Exams

Chest X-Ray
ECG
Echocardiogram
Pulmonary Function Tests
Thoracic CT

Other Topics

Antigen
Breathing - Slowed or Stopped
Breathing Difficulties - First Aid
Breathing Difficulty - Lying Down
Cough
Foreign Object Aspiration or Ingestion
Intercostal Retractions
Obesity
Physical Examination
Rapid Deep Breathing (Hyperventilation)
Wheezing

Review Date : 11/10/2002
Reviewed By : Darrell N. Kotton, M.D., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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Page Last Updated: 09 Jul, 2008