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· 09 Jan 2022

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Why am I out of breath?

Taking a deep breath can be difficult if you are short of breath or "winded." You can feel as though you've just run a sprint, climbed a set of stairs, or done an aerobics class.

If you exercise regularly, these sensations may be familiar, but they can be unsettling when they happen outside of that context. Shortness of breath can indicate a variety of medical issues, including heart and lung issues. More information about the causes and symptoms of shortness of breath can be found by continuing to read this article.

A lot of factors can induce shortness of breath.

1 Shortness of breath is a common symptom that can be caused by a range of medical conditions. Shortness of breath is referred to as dyspnea in medical terms. It's classified as acute if it lasts for several hours to days. Chronic means that it lasts for more than 4 to 8 weeks.

2 Anxiety, whether brief and temporary or a chronic problem, can produce shortness of breath. Anxiety or a panic attack might be mistaken for a heart attack on rare occasions. To be out of breath, you don't need to be suffering a panic attack. Low-level anxiety might also contribute to this.
A multitude of factors can contribute to shortness of breath, including:

• Living at a high altitude
• Poor air quality, for example, as a consequence of carbon monoxide or even smog.
• Temperature extremes
• Exercising vigorously
Muscle knots, especially those on trigger points, may make one feel out of breath. A range of medical problems, both acute and chronic, can cause shortness of breath. A multitude of factors can contribute to shortness of breath, including:

• Allergies

• Anemia

• Asthma

•Heart failure due to congestive heart failure

•Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Guillain-Barré syndrome

• Arrhythmia of the heart or a heart attack

• Cardiovascular disease

• Lung problems

• Myasthenia gravis

• Obesity

•Pleurisy

• Pneumonia

• Pulmonary edema

• Pulmonary embolism

• Pulmonary arterial hypertension

• Sarcoidosis

• Tuberculosis

Intermittent or chronic shortness of breath is possible. Depending on the cause of your shortness of breath, you may also show indicators of other medical problems.

Even when you are at rest, like sitting at a desk at work, you can have shortness of breath. Prolonged sitting might cause shortness of breath due to bad posture.

COVID-19 and shortness of breath

One of COVID-19's most common symptoms is shortness of breath. Other COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, and exhaustion.
The majority of COVID-19 patients will experience mild to moderate effects that can be handled at home. If you're sick and suspect you might have COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following steps:

• Take COVID-19 tests if you haven't already. Call your doctor to find out where you can be tested.
• If at all feasible, stay at home and keep all family and pets away from you.
• If you absolutely must be close to people, cover all sneezes and coughs with a face mask and maintain a minimum of 6 feet away.
• Keep in touch with your doctor and call ahead if you believe you'll require medical assistance.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Do not share your household items with other family members.
• Regularly disinfect common surfaces.

You should monitor your symptoms at home as well. If you experience any of the symptoms listed below, visit a doctor straight once.
• Breathing problems
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• A heavy, uncomfortable, or pressing sensation in the chest
• Bluish or greenish lips, skin, or even nail beds.
• A rapid heart rate
• Perplexity
• Tiredness

It may be harder for those with a dark complexion to notice changes in skin color which indicate oxygen deficiency than for people having light skin.