Feeling stuffy cause. Not enough air: causes of breathing difficulties - cardiogenic, pulmonary, psychogenic, others

However, not everyone manages to live with such comfort.

Symptoms of dyspnea

There are also those who experience a feeling of lack of air, suffer when taking a breath, they do not have enough oxygen to take a deep breath and exhale. As a result, an attack of suffocation begins.

It may intensify in the following situations:

• with strong excitement;
• under stress;
• in a stuffy room;
• in a horizontal position;
• when walking fast;
• at severe cough, shortness of breath;
• with a lump in the throat, an attack of nausea;
• if you are wearing clothes that are tight in the chest;

Lack of air when breathing is pathological condition, which in certain situations can pose a threat to human life.

In other words, it is suffocation. To overcome oxygen starvation, the brain compensates for suffocation by frequent inhalation or shortness of breath. In medicine, lack of air is called dyspnea.

Choking can occur as a result of the development of serious diseases of the internal organs. The only exceptions are patients with asthma. Choking in asthma is relieved with a special inhaler.

Lack of air is accompanied by a violation of the frequency and depth of the respiratory process. The form of suffocation can be acute or chronic. With this disease, communication with another interlocutor slows down, and muscles become sluggish. It is impossible to concentrate because the lack of oxygen prevents the brain from functioning normally. This condition is closely related to a person’s physical well-being. It can be experienced even with slight physical exertion.

With the progressive development of the disease, a person may experience pain and a feeling of compression in the area chest. It becomes difficult for him to breathe even at rest, and shortness of breath appears. In this case, inhalation and exhalation will be accompanied by wheezing and whistling sounds. The temperature may rise. The patient will feel a lump in the throat and have difficulty swallowing. It is difficult to sleep in a lying position; you have to sleep in a half-sitting position.

The main causes of shortness of breath and difficulty breathing

1. Organ diseases respiratory system: bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, pulmonary pressure, pulmonary obstruction;
2. Diseases of the heart and blood vessels: heart defects, heart rhythm disturbances, angina pectoris, previous myocardial infarction. The heart muscle cannot pump blood through the vessels normally. As a result, internal organs experience a lack of oxygen;
3. Blood diseases, infections, diabetes.
4. Compression of the chest wall.
5. Allergic reactions.
6. Impaired body functions (hypodynamia). Disruption of the musculoskeletal system, digestive system, breathing, and circulation.
7. Presence of a hernia.
8. Iron deficiency, anemia.
9. Thyroid diseases.
10. Obstruction in the passage of oxygen through the nasopharynx.
11. High weight, obesity.
12. Climate change.
13. Tobacco abuse.
14. Hyperventilation syndrome: stress, attacks of panic and fear, aggression.

Hyperventilation is a nervous habit that gives the feeling that there is not enough oxygen. The person begins to breathe deeply in order to get a lot of oxygen, however, he does not succeed. It turns out to be a kind of “air hunger”. There is an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The syndrome may be accompanied by dizziness and fainting, tingling in the body.

This condition often occurs during severe stress, but does not last long.

Improvement occurs after understanding the cause of stress, encouragement, and taking tranquilizers. You can improve your condition by breathing into a paper bag. Repeated breaths replace the lack of carbon dioxide and help restore chemical balance in the blood.

Thus, the causes of difficulty breathing can be different. If it occurs constantly, you should think about it and consult a doctor, undergo an examination to identify the cause of shortness of breath and improve the condition to avoid further complications.

Some associate lack of air with normal yawning. First, let's define what yawning is.

Yawning is an uncontrollable reflex that happens involuntarily. This is a slow deep breath, which is accompanied by a prolonged act of breathing, a quick exhalation and sometimes a sound.

During yawning, a lot of oxygen enters the lungs, due to which blood supply improves, tissues and organs are saturated with it. Harmful substances are removed from the inside, brain function improves. The circulatory, respiratory, cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal systems are involved in the process of yawning, thanks to which the lack of oxygen is compensated and the work of internal organs is activated.

When there is a lack of air, a person may yawn frequently. This can happen when you spend a long time in a stuffy room where there is no oxygen. In conditions of such a deficiency, the brain tries to get as much oxygen as possible, and accordingly, the person begins to yawn frequently.

What to do if there is not enough air?

Whatever the cause of difficulty breathing, it must be identified and eliminated in a timely manner. And it is quite difficult to do this without consulting a doctor.

During diagnosis, the doctor interviews and examines the patient. Blood and urine tests are taken, ultrasound, radiography, electrocardiography are done, CT scan, spirometry. If necessary, the patient can be sent for consultation to other specialists narrow profile– cardiologist, psychotherapist, hematologist.

An experienced doctor, based on diagnostics and tests, will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe competent treatment that will alleviate attacks of suffocation. The appearance of shortness of breath and lack of air will bother you less and less, but for this you need to undergo an examination and a full course of treatment.

For respiratory diseases, your doctor may prescribe antibacterial agents, medications that relieve inflammation internally. If shortness of breath occurs due to heart problems, then medications are prescribed that improve the functioning of the heart muscle, metabolic processes. A course of therapeutic exercises is also being developed.

In case of metabolic disorders and metabolic processes, it is important to observe proper nutrition, diet, arrange fasting days. They may prescribe medications that improve metabolism.

Difficulty breathing, sudden or chronic, always requires serious attention. Although many cases turn out to be harmless and correctable, the symptom still requires a comprehensive and competent assessment by a doctor.

If this phenomenon occurs, do not delay your visit to a specialist. Identifying the cause in time will help you quickly get rid of dyspnea and start breathing deeply.

Feeling or sensation of shortness of breath: causes and treatment

The feeling of lack of air is a feeling that each of us has experienced in our lives. All we have to do is hold our breath for a few seconds, and we will experience a lack of air. The causes of this condition have a significant impact on the treatment, with the help of which the doctor can eliminate a similar symptom of many serious diseases.

The main energy processes in our body occur with the continuous participation of oxygen molecules. The main biochemical process of our cells is oxidative phosphorylation. This process occurs in intracellular structures - mitochondria. In order for an oxygen molecule from the air to enter the mitochondria, it goes through a complex path provided by various physiological mechanisms.

The constant need of our organs and systems for a sufficient amount of oxygen is ensured by:

• airway patency, heating, humidification and air purification;
• adequate functioning of the respiratory muscles;
• negative pressure in the pleural cavity;
• the ability of the pulmonary vesicles, alveoli, to passively diffuse oxygen into the blood (sufficient permeability of the alveolar capillary membrane);
• the ability of the heart to pump blood and deliver it to various organs and tissues;
• sufficient content of red blood cells in the blood, which bind and transport oxygen to the tissues;
• good blood fluidity;
• the ability of cell membranes of various tissues to pass oxygen molecules to intracellular structures;
• adequate functioning of the respiratory center, which regulates and coordinates the respiratory function.

A violation at one of the listed stages of oxygen delivery leads to the activation of a compensatory mechanism.

Symptoms of lack of air in various diseases can be of different durations- constant lack of air, long periods or short attacks of suffocation.

The causes of lack of air must be eliminated

The main causes of lack of air can and should be eliminated in a timely manner. They include the following conditions:

It has a typical clinical picture with short attacks of dry cough, shortness of breath, with warning signs or sudden onset. Patients experience shortness of breath with difficulty exhaling, a feeling of compression behind the sternum, and wheezing that can be heard from a distance. The chest becomes barrel-shaped with smoothed intercostal spaces. The patient is forced into a position that makes breathing easier - sitting, leaning his hands on the back of a chair or bed. Attacks occur after contact with any allergens, after hypothermia or against the background of a cold, taking aspirin (aspirin asthma), after physical exertion (physical exertion asthma). After taking the nitroglycerin tablet, the condition does not improve. If you take sputum for analysis during an attack, it will reveal increased content eosinophils - a marker of allergic processes.

• Chronic obstructive bronchitis

Unlike asthma, with bronchitis shortness of breath is more or less constant, with exacerbations due to hypothermia and increased physical exertion. Accompanied by a constant cough with sputum discharge.

• Acute diseases of the bronchopulmonary system

Acute bronchitis and pneumonia, tuberculosis can also be accompanied by attacks of suffocation at the height of the disease, reminiscent of attacks in bronchial asthma. But, as the condition improves, the attacks pass.

Attacks of suffocation with the discharge of a large amount of mucopurulent sputum, sometimes with hemoptysis, more often in the morning.

• Shortness of breath and lack of air in diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Lack of air from the heart can occur with any pathology of the organ when its pumping function is impaired. Short-term and quickly passing shortness of breath occurs during a hypertensive crisis, attacks of cardiac arrhythmia, and neurocirculatory dystonia. As a rule, it is not accompanied by a cough with sputum.

With persistent and severe heart problems, accompanied by heart failure, the feeling of lack of air always bothers the patient, intensifies with physical activity, and at night can manifest itself in the form of attacks of cardiac asthma. In this case, shortness of breath is expressed by difficulty in inhaling, moist, bubbling wheezing appears, and liquid, foamy sputum is released. The patient is forced into a sitting position, which alleviates his condition. After taking nitroglycerin tablets, attacks of shortness of breath and lack of air go away.

Thromboembolism pulmonary artery- Very common reasons feeling of lack of air is regarded as primary characteristic of this pathology. Blood clots in the venous vessels of the upper and lower extremities break off and enter the cavity of the right atrium, moving with the blood flow into the pulmonary artery, causing blockage of its large or small branches. A pulmonary infarction develops. This is a life-threatening disease, which is accompanied by severe shortness of breath and a painful cough with the discharge of bloody sputum, severe cyanosis of the upper half of the body.

• Upper airway obstruction

Obstruction to the passage of air into the lungs can be caused by tumors, cicatricial stenosis of the trachea, laryngitis, runny nose, foreign bodies in respiratory tract, pathological processes in the mediastinum: retrothoracic goiter, sarcoidosis, aortic aneurysm, tuberculous bronchoadenitis. In the pathology described, shortness of breath is permanent and may be accompanied by a dry, unproductive cough.

• Violation of the integrity of the chest

Rib fractures can cause shortness of breath. Difficulty breathing due to chest compressions due to severe pain often occurs with chest injuries. There is no cough or sputum, no wheezing in the lungs, no fever. Spontaneous pneumothorax, that is, accumulation of air in the pleural cavity, accompanied by compression of the lung and a decrease in its respiratory surface, displacement of the mediastinum to the healthy side, is accompanied by a progressive lack of air, up to suffocation. In this case, there is no cough or sputum, and there is pain in the chest. Only removing air from the pleural cavity alleviates the patient's condition.

Anemia, iron deficiency or malignant, in which there is a decrease in the content of red blood cells in the blood, leads to the development of hypoxia. The main function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. If for some reason the binding ability of red blood cells is disrupted, which happens in case of poisoning with toxic substances, or the content of the binding protein hemoglobin decreases, oxygen stops flowing into the tissues - shortness of breath occurs. It is permanent and intensifies during physical activity.

• Systemic and neoplastic processes

Diffuse lesion connective tissue (rheumatoid arthritis, periarteritis nodosa, systemic lupus erythematosus), neoplastic processes (carcinoid syndrome, metastatic lesions of the lungs) worsen gas exchange in the lungs and tissues and can lead to symptoms of lack of air.

Redundant body fat interfere with a sufficient range of movements of the respiratory muscles and increase the load on the heart and respiratory organs. A sedentary lifestyle, detraining, and atherosclerotic vascular damage in obesity lead to the development of respiratory failure with little physical effort.

• Difficulty breathing and lack of air during panic attacks and hysteria

Panic attacks, accompanied by a vivid sense of fear and the release of adrenaline into the blood, increase the tissue demand for oxygen. There is a lack of air. Difficulty breathing during an attack of hysteria occurs due to psychogenic factors, and is not true shortness of breath. The patient thus subconsciously tries to attract the attention of others.

Diagnosis and treatment of shortness of breath when breathing

Lack of air when breathing always has some reason. And if efforts are not made to eliminate it, the problem will persist and progress. Diagnosis of the disease should be based on modern medical standards. Treatment for shortness of breath when breathing depends entirely on the disease that provoked this symptom.

The standard examination algorithm required for diagnosing gross disorders includes clinical blood and urine tests, chest x-ray, and electrocardiography. Additional Methods diagnostics are prescribed based on the results of the specified examination and on the basis of characteristic complaints and examination results of the patient.

This may be an examination by specialized specialists: ENT specialist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, pulmonologist, allergist, traumatologist, thoracic surgeon. Additional diagnostics: daily monitoring cardiac activity according to Holter, ultrasound of the heart, blood vessels, pleural cavities, vascular Dopplerography, angiography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, function study external respiration, allergy tests, sputum culture and analysis, blood tests for specific markers, endoscopic methods diagnostics and others.

Features of treatment for shortness of breath will depend on the diagnosis and examination results.

Therapy may be aimed at:

• elimination of infection;
• removal of the pathological focus;
• reduction of swelling and allergic inflammation of tissues;
• improving airway patency;
• facilitating sputum discharge;
• improving the flow properties of blood;
• increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• improving the permeability of the alveolar-capillary barrier;
• maintaining adequate pumping function of the heart;
• elimination of tissue hypoxia;
• stabilization of the neuroendocrine system.

Lack of air

Lack of air - in the vast majority of cases, acts as a sign of a serious illness that requires immediate medical attention. Of particular danger is respiratory distress when falling asleep or during sleep.

Despite the fact that the main causes of lack of air are pathological, clinicians identify several less dangerous predisposing factors, a special place among which is obesity.

Such a problem never acts as the only clinical sign. The most common symptoms are yawning, difficulty inhaling and exhaling, coughing and a feeling of a lump in the throat.

To determine the source of such a manifestation, it is necessary to carry out a wide variety of diagnostic measures– starting from interviewing the patient and ending with instrumental examinations.

Treatment tactics are individual and completely dictated by the etiological factor.

Etiology

In almost all cases, attacks of lack of air are caused by two conditions:

• hypoxia – in this case there is a decrease in oxygen content in tissues;
• Hypoxemia – characterized by a drop in oxygen levels in the blood.

Provocateurs of such violations are presented:

• cardiac weakness - against this background, congestion develops in the lungs;
• pulmonary or respiratory failure– this, in turn, develops against the background of collapse or inflammation of the lung, sclerosis lung tissue and tumor lesions of this organ, bronchospasm and difficulty in inhaling;
• anemia and other blood diseases;
• congestive heart failure;
• cardiac asthma;
• pulmonary embolism;
• coronary heart disease;
• spontaneous pneumothorax;
• bronchial asthma;
• hit foreign object into the respiratory tract;
• panic attacks, which can occur with neurosis or VSD;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• neuritis of the intercostal nerve, which can occur during herpes;
• rib fractures;
• severe form of bronchitis;
• allergic reactions - it is worth noting that with allergies, lack of air acts as the main symptom;
• pneumonia;
• osteochondrosis - lack of air is most often observed with cervical osteochondrosis;
• diseases of the thyroid gland.

Less dangerous reasons the occurrence of the main symptom are:

• the person is overweight;
• insufficient physical training, which is also called detraining. At the same time, shortness of breath is a completely normal manifestation and does not pose a threat to human health or life;
• period of bearing a child;
• bad ecology;
• sudden climate change;
• the course of the first menstruation in young girls - in some cases female body reacts to such changes in the body with a periodic feeling of lack of air;
• talking while eating.

Lack of air during sleep or at rest can be caused by:

• the influence of severe stress;
• addiction to bad habits, in particular smoking cigarettes just before bedtime;
• previously suffered excessively high physical activity;
• strong emotional experiences experienced by a person at the moment.

However, if similar condition is accompanied by other clinical manifestations, then most likely the cause is hidden in an illness that can threaten health and life.

Classification

Currently, lack of air during breathing is conventionally divided into several types:

• inspiratory – in which a person experiences difficulty in inhaling. This type is most typical for cardiac pathologies;
• expiratory – lack of air makes it difficult for a person to exhale. This often occurs when bronchial asthma;
• mixed.

According to the severity of such symptoms in people, air deficiency occurs:

• acute - the attack lasts no more than one hour;
• subacute – duration is several days;
• chronic – observed for several years.

Symptoms

The presence of symptoms of shortness of breath is indicated in cases where a person exhibits the following clinical signs:

• pain and pressure in the chest area;
• presence of breathing problems at rest or in a horizontal position;
• inability to sleep lying down - you can only fall asleep in a sitting or reclining position;
• the occurrence of characteristic wheezing or whistling during respiratory movements;
• violation of the swallowing process;
• sensation of a lump or foreign object in the throat;
• slight increase in temperature;
• inhibition in communication;
• impaired concentration;
• high blood pressure;
• severe shortness of breath;
• breathing with loosely compressed or pursed lips;
• cough and sore throat;
• frequent yawning;
• an unreasonable feeling of fear and anxiety.

If there is a lack of air during sleep, a person wakes up from a sudden attack of shortness of breath in the middle of the night, i.e., a sharp awakening occurs against the background of a severe lack of oxygen. To alleviate his condition, the victim needs to get out of bed or take a sitting position.

Patients should take into account that the above signs are only the basis clinical picture, which will be supplemented by the symptoms of the disease or disorder that was the source of the main problem. For example, lack of air during VSD will be accompanied by numbness in the fingers, attacks of suffocation and fear of tight spaces. Allergies include itchy nose, frequent sneezing and increased tearing. In cases of a feeling of lack of air during osteochondrosis, the symptoms will include ringing in the ears, decreased visual acuity, fainting and numbness of the extremities.

In any case, if such an alarming symptom occurs, it is necessary to seek qualified help from a pulmonologist as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

To find out the reasons for the lack of air, it is necessary to carry out a whole range of diagnostic measures. Thus, to establish a correct diagnosis in adults and children, you will need:

• a clinician’s examination of the patient’s medical history and life history to identify chronic ailments that may be the source of the main symptom;
• conducting a thorough physical examination, with mandatory listening to the patient while breathing using an instrument such as a phonendoscope;
• interview the person in detail - to find out the time of occurrence of attacks of lack of air, since the etiological factors of oxygen deficiency at night may differ from the appearance of such a symptom in other situations. In addition, such an event will help establish the presence and degree of intensity of expression of concomitant symptoms;
• general and biochemical analysis blood - this must be done to assess gas exchange parameters;
• pulse oximetry - to determine how hemoglobin is saturated with air;
• X-ray and ECG;
• spirometry and body plethysmography;
• capnometry;
• additional consultations with a cardiologist, endocrinologist, allergist, neurologist, therapist and obstetrician-gynecologist - in cases of shortness of breath during pregnancy.

Treatment

First of all, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in order to eliminate the main symptom it is necessary to get rid of the disease that caused it. It follows from this that therapy will be individual in nature.

However, in cases where such a sign appears physiological reasons treatment will be based on:

• taking medications;
• using recipes traditional medicine– it must be remembered that this can only be done after the approval of the clinician;
• breathing exercises prescribed by your doctor.

Drug therapy includes the use of:

• bronchodilators;
• beta-agonists;
• M-anticholinergics;
• methylxanthines;
• inhaled glucocorticoids;
• drugs to thin sputum;
• vasodilators;
• diuretics and antispasmodics;
• vitamin complexes.

To relieve an attack of lack of air, you can use:

• a mixture based on lemon juice, garlic and honey;
• alcohol tincture of honey and aloe juice;
• astragalus;
• sunflower flowers.

In some cases, to neutralize the lack of air due to osteochondrosis or other ailments, they resort to such surgical manipulation as lung reduction.

Prevention and prognosis

Specific preventive measures There are no warning signs for the occurrence of the main symptom. However, you can reduce the likelihood by:

• maintaining a healthy and moderately active lifestyle;
• avoiding stressful situations and physical strain;
• control body weight – this must be done constantly;
• prevent sudden climate change;
• timely treatment of diseases that can lead to the appearance of such danger sign, in particular in a dream;
• regularly undergoing a complete preventive examination at a medical institution.

The prognosis that a person periodically lacks air is favorable in the vast majority of cases. However, the effectiveness of treatment is directly determined by the disease that is the source of the main symptom. Complete absence therapy can lead to irreparable consequences.

“Lack of air” is observed in diseases:

Lung adenocarcinoma (glandular lung cancer) - non-small cell cancer tumor, is diagnosed in 40% of all lung cancers. The main danger of this pathological process is that in most cases it is asymptomatic. Men in the age group are most susceptible to the disease. When treatment is started in a timely manner, it does not cause complications.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is a disease that includes a whole complex of symptoms related to a disorder of phospholipid metabolism. The essence of the pathology is that the human body mistakes phospholipids for foreign bodies, against which it produces specific antibodies.

Anthropophobia (syn. humanophobia, fear of large crowds of people) is a disorder, the essence of which is a panicky fear of faces, which is accompanied by an obsession to isolate oneself from them. This disease should be distinguished from social phobia, in which there is a fear of large numbers of people. In cases with this disease, the number of people does not matter, the main thing is that everyone is unfamiliar to the patient.

Bronchospasm is a pathological condition characterized by the occurrence sudden attack suffocation. It progresses due to reflex compression of smooth muscle structures in the walls of the bronchi, as well as due to swelling of the mucous membrane, accompanied by impaired sputum discharge.

Vegetovascular dystonia (VSD) is a disease that involves the entire body in the pathological process. Most often, the peripheral nerves, as well as the cardiovascular system, receive negative effects from the autonomic nervous system. It is imperative to treat the disease, since in its advanced form it will give severe consequences to all organs. Besides, health care will help the patient get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of the disease. IN international classification ICD-10 diseases VSD has code G24.

Vertebrogenic thoracalgia is a condition characterized by the appearance of pain of varying severity in the chest, but there is damage to the spine. Such a disorder can be caused by both completely harmless factors and the course of serious diseases. The most common triggers are a sedentary lifestyle, intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis and curvature of the spinal column.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a pathology of the main muscle of the heart, which is expressed in a significant increase in its chambers. This entails disruption of the functioning of the heart ventricles. The disease can be either primary or secondary. In the first case, the factors of its occurrence currently remain unknown, and in the second, its development is preceded by the occurrence of other ailments.

Intestinal dyskinesia is a fairly common disorder in which this organ is not subject to organic damage, but its motor function suffers. The fundamental factor in the occurrence of the disease is considered to be prolonged exposure to stressful situations or nervous strain. It is for this reason that gastroenterologists and psychologists treat patients with a similar diagnosis.

Myocardial dystrophy is a concept denoting a secondary lesion or various disorders pathological in the heart muscle. Often this disease is a complication of heart disease, accompanied by impaired myocardial nutrition. Dystrophy brings with it a decrease in muscle tone, which can become fertile ground for the formation of heart failure. It occurs due to insufficient blood supply to the myocardium, which is why its cells do not receive enough air for their normal functioning. This leads to atrophy or complete death of myocardial tissue.

Ventricular extrasystole is one of the forms of cardiac arrhythmia, which is characterized by the occurrence of extraordinary or premature contractions ventricles. Both adults and children can suffer from this disease.

The death of a section of the heart muscle, leading to the formation of coronary artery thrombosis, is called myocardial infarction. This process leads to the disruption of blood circulation in this area. Myocardial infarction is predominantly fatal because the main heart artery is blocked. If, at the first sign, appropriate measures are not taken to hospitalize the patient, then death is 99.9% guaranteed.

Hysteria (hysterical neurosis) is a complex neuropsychic disease that belongs to the group of neuroses. Manifests itself in the form of a specific psycho-emotional state. At the same time, there are no visible pathological changes in the nervous system. The disease can strike a person at almost any age. Women are more susceptible to the disease than men.

Ischemia is a pathological condition that occurs when there is a sharp weakening of blood circulation in a certain area of ​​an organ, or in the entire organ. Pathology develops due to decreased blood flow. A lack of blood circulation causes metabolic disorders and also leads to disruption of the functioning of certain organs. It is worth noting that all tissues and organs in human body have different sensitivity to lack of blood supply. Less susceptible are cartilaginous and bone structures. More vulnerable are the brain and heart.

Cardialgia is a pathological condition characterized by the occurrence pain syndrome in the left side of the chest, which is not associated with angina or heart attack. It is worth noting that this is not an independent nosological unit, but a manifestation of a large number various conditions both cardiac and extracardiac origin.

Cardiomyopathies are a group of diseases that are united by the fact that during their progression, pathological changes in the structure of the myocardium. As a result, this heart muscle ceases to function fully. Typically, the development of pathology is observed against the background of various extracardiac and cardiac disorders. This suggests that there are quite a lot of factors that can serve as a kind of “push” for the progression of pathology. Cardiomyopathy can be primary or secondary.

Chronic cardiac disease, which occurs due to the formation of connective tissue in the thickness of the heart muscle, is called cardiosclerosis. This disease is predominantly not independent in nature, but often manifests itself against the background of other ailments of the body. Cardiosclerosis refers to serious illnesses, which disrupts the functioning of the heart and occurs against the background various reasons and pathogens.

Fever of unknown origin (syn. LNG, hyperthermia) is a clinical case in which elevated body temperature is the leading or only clinical sign. This condition is indicated when the values ​​persist for 3 weeks (in children - longer than 8 days) or more.

Metabolic acidosis is a pathological condition characterized by a violation acid-base balance in blood. The disease develops against the background of poor oxidation organic acids or their insufficient removal from the human body.

Myocardial dystrophy in medicine is called repeated damage to the heart muscle. The disease is not inflammatory in nature. Often, myocardial dystrophy is a complication of heart disease, which was accompanied by a malnutrition of the heart muscle (myocardium). As the disease progresses, a decrease in muscle tone is observed, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for the development of heart failure. Heart failure, in turn, occurs due to a decrease in blood flow to the myocardium, which is why the cells do not receive the amount of oxygen they need for normal functioning. Because of this, myocardial tissue can atrophy or even become necrotic.

Heart neurosis is a functional disorder of the organ that occurs as a result of various neuropsychic disorders. Often this disorder develops in people who have weak nervous system, which is why they have a hard time withstanding various stresses. The disease does not cause anatomical and morphological changes in the organ, and usually has a chronic course. People often talk about this disorder - the heart hurts, and this happens during periods of strong psycho-emotional arousal. Treatment of pathology in most cases is aimed at strengthening the nervous system.

Neurocirculatory dystonia, or cardiac neurosis, is a dysfunction of cardio-vascular system, which is associated with a violation of physiological neuroendocrine regulation. Most often it manifests itself in women and adolescents due to the influence of severe stress or heavy physical exertion. It appears much less frequently in people under fifteen and over forty years of age.

Acute coronary syndrome is a pathological process in which the natural blood supply to the myocardium through the coronary arteries is disrupted or completely stopped. In this case, oxygen does not reach the heart muscle in a certain area, which can lead not only to a heart attack, but also to fatal outcome.

A disease that is characterized by the formation of pulmonary insufficiency, presented in the form of a massive release of transudate from the capillaries into the pulmonary cavity and ultimately promoting infiltration of the alveoli, is called pulmonary edema. Speaking in simple words, pulmonary edema is a situation where fluid stagnates in the lungs and has leaked through the blood vessels. The disease is characterized as independent symptom and can be formed on the basis of other serious ailments of the body.

Panic disorder occurs in people who long time are exposed to stress. It is characterized by the appearance of panic attacks lasting from 10 minutes to half an hour, which are repeated with a certain regularity (from several times a year to several times a day).

Perichondritis is a group of diseases that affect the perichondrium, which occurs against the background of its infection. It is noteworthy that inflammatory process develops quite slowly, but can spread to other areas. In the vast majority of cases, perichondritis can be caused by injury to the cartilage. Less commonly the disease is secondary character and develops against the background of illnesses of an infectious nature.

A splenic rupture is a dangerous condition that requires immediate medical intervention. Due to certain reasons, the organ capsule ruptures, which entails serious consequences. It is worth noting that this condition can occur not only due to mechanical injury. The pathology has no restrictions regarding gender and age. Splenic rupture can occur in both children and adults (in children the pathology is more severe).

A dissecting aortic aneurysm is a damage to the inner lining of the enlarged aorta, which is accompanied by the appearance of hematomas and a false opening. This disease is characterized by longitudinal separation of the aortic walls of varying lengths. In medicine, this pathology is often called a more abbreviated version - “aortic dissection.”

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a pathological process that is characterized by respiratory failure, accompanied by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, hypoxia, noisy, shallow breathing. It is noted that despite wide range etiological factors, the basis of this pathological process is damage to the structure of the lungs. The condition of ARDS (adult syndrome) or ARDS (in newborns) is extremely life-threatening. In the absence of prompt resuscitation measures, death occurs.

Sarcoidosis is a disease that affects some internal organs of a person, as well as The lymph nodes, but most often the lungs are susceptible to this disease. The disease is characterized by the appearance of specific granulomas on organs, which contain healthy and modified cells. Patients with this disease are characterized by severe fatigue, fever and chest pain.

Cardiac asthma is a syndrome of acute left ventricular failure, which manifests itself in the form of shortness of breath and heart rhythm disturbances. Often this pathology can lead to pulmonary edema and, as a consequence, death. The disease affects both men and women equally. The main risk group is people over 60 years of age.

Page 1 of 2

With help physical exercise and abstinence, most people can do without medicine.

Symptoms and treatment of human diseases

Reproduction of materials is possible only with the permission of the administration and indicating an active link to the source.

All information provided is subject to mandatory consultation with your attending physician!

Questions and suggestions:

Yawning represents a physiological reaction of the body, trying to make up for the lack of oxygen, which, with active and sufficiently deep inhalation, is forced into the bloodstream, thereby ensuring the saturation of brain tissue. The feeling of lack of air can have many reasons that contribute to its formation, and it is to get out of this state that the body reacts with the desire to yawn.

Links of the physiological chain

Regulation of maintaining a constant level of oxygen in the blood flow, and its stable content when the level of load on the body increases, is carried out by the following functional parameters:

• The work of the respiratory muscles and the brain center for controlling the frequency and depth of inspiration;
• Ensuring cross-country ability air flow, its moistening and heating;
• Alveolar ability to absorb oxygen molecules and diffuse it into the bloodstream;
• The muscular readiness of the heart to pump blood, transporting it to all internal structures of the body;
• Maintaining a sufficient balance of red blood cells, which are agents for the transfer of molecules to tissues;
• Fluidity of blood flow;
• The susceptibility of cellular level membranes to absorb oxygen;

The occurrence of constant yawning and lack of air indicates a current internal violation of any of the listed links in the chain of reactions, requiring timely implementation therapeutic actions. The development of the symptom may be based on the presence of the following diseases.

Pathologies of the heart system and vascular network

A feeling of lack of air with the development of yawning can occur with any damage to the heart, especially affecting its pumping function. The appearance of a fleeting and quickly disappearing deficiency can occur during the development of a crisis condition against the background of hypertension, an attack of arrhythmia or neurocirculatory dystonia. In the most common cases, it is not accompanied by cough syndrome.

Heart failure

With regular disturbances in cardiac functionality, which results in the development of insufficient activity of the heart, a feeling of lack of air begins to arise naturally, and intensifies with increasing physical activity and manifests itself in the night interval of sleep in the form of cardiac asthma.

The lack of air is felt precisely during inhalation, forming wheezing in the lungs with the release of foamy sputum. To alleviate the condition, a forced position of the body is adopted. After taking nitroglycerin, all alarming signs disappear.

Thromboembolism

The formation of blood clots in the lumen of the vessels of the pulmonary arterial trunk leads to the appearance of constant yawning and lack of air, being initial sign pathological disorder. The mechanism of development of the disease includes the formation of blood clots in the venous network of vessels of the extremities, which break off and move with the blood flow to the pulmonary trunk, causing closure of the arterial lumen. This leads to the formation of a pulmonary infarction.

The condition is life-threatening, accompanied by an intense lack of air, almost reminiscent of suffocation with the appearance of coughing and the discharge of sputum containing impurities of blood structures. In this condition, the coverings of the upper half of the torso acquire a shade of blue.

VSD

Pathology results in a decrease in the tone of the vascular network of the entire body, including the tissues of the lungs, brain, and heart. Against the background of this process, the functionality of the heart is disrupted, which does not provide the lungs with a sufficient amount of blood. The flow, in turn, with low oxygen saturation enters the tissues of the heart, without providing it with the necessary volume of nutrients.

The body's reaction is a voluntary attempt to increase the pressure of the blood flow by increasing the frequency of heartbeats. As a result of a closed pathological cycle, constant yawning appears during VSD. In this way, the autonomic sphere of the nervous network regulates the intensity of the respiratory function, providing oxygen replenishment and neutralizing hunger. This defense reaction avoids the development ischemic lesion in tissues.

Respiratory diseases

The appearance of yawning with a lack of inhaled air can be provoked by severe disturbances in the functionality of the respiratory structures. These include the following diseases:

1. Asthma of the bronchial type.
2. Tumor process in the lungs.
3. Bronchiectasis.
4. Infectious lesions of the bronchi.
5. Pulmonary edema.

In addition, the formation of lack of air and yawning is affected by rheumatism, low mobility and excess weight, as well as psychosomatic reasons. This spectrum of diseases with the presence of the symptom in question includes the most common and frequently detected pathological disorders.

A feeling of lack of air is one of the most common symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia and panic disorder. VSD with respiratory syndrome can cause fear, but in itself does not lead to disability or death. In this article we will try to figure out why “I’m suffocating” or “I can’t take a full breath” is a common complaint of people with VSD, and we will also look at the cause of breathing problems.

Hyperventilation syndrome - what is it?

Hyperventilation syndrome is a form of autonomic disorder, the main symptom of which is difficulty breathing. Moreover, this disorder is in no way associated with diseases of the heart, bronchi and lungs

Literally, hyperventilation syndrome means excessive breathing. Today, shortness of breath syndrome is considered one of the most common symptoms of a disorder of the autonomic nervous system (other symptoms may be present at the same time).

Causes of hyperventilation with a feeling of lack of air

Breathing is a function in the human body that is controlled not only by the autonomic, but also by the somatic nervous system. In other words, emotional condition human health directly depends on the functioning of the respiratory system and vice versa. Stress, depression, or simply temporary difficulties in life can lead to shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of oxygen.

Sometimes the cause of respiratory attacks that accompany VSD can be an unconscious tendency of people to imitate the signs of certain diseases (we are talking about suggestibility - symptoms, for example, “I can’t take a deep breath,” are picked up by a person after surfing the Internet and studying forums) and its further manifestation in everyday behavior (for example, coughing and shortness of breath).

There is also a seemingly unlikely reason for the development of breathing difficulties in adulthood: observation in childhood of people with shortness of breath (patients with bronchial asthma, etc.). Human memory is capable of “fixing” certain events and memories and reproducing them in the future, even years later. As a rule, for this reason, breathing difficulties are observed in artistic and impressionable people.

As you can see, in each of the described cases, the psychological component of the occurrence of breathing problems with NCD comes first. Those. Once again we see that we are talking about neurosis.

Breathing disorders due to VSD: mechanism of development

Being in stressful situation, in a state of fear, overwork or anxiety, a person can unconsciously change the depth of breathing and its rhythm. Trying to provide the muscles with an additional flow of oxygen, a person, as if before a sports competition, tries to breathe faster. Breathing becomes frequent and shallow, but additional oxygen remains unclaimed. This leads to subsequent unpleasant and frightening sensations of lack of air in the lungs.

Moreover, the occurrence of such disorders leads to a state constant anxiety and fear, which ultimately contributes to the appearance of panic attacks, which aggravate the course of the already “difficult” hyperventilation syndrome.

Changes in the blood. Improper breathing leads to changes in blood acidity: frequent shallow breaths lead to a decrease in carbon dioxide levels in the body. A normal concentration of CO2 in the body is necessary to maintain the walls of blood vessels in a relaxed state. Lack of carbon dioxide leads to muscle tension, vasoconstriction - the brain and body begin to experience oxygen deficiency.

Cardiovascular disorders. Frequent shallow breathing leads to changes in the amount of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the blood, which causes discomfort or pain in the heart, pressure in the chest, dizziness, trembling of the limbs, etc.

Symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome

The symptoms of breathing problems are varied, and in any given case, the breathing problem manifests itself in different ways. Breathing pathology may be accompanied by muscle, emotional disorders, and the typical symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome are often “masked” as signs of diseases of the heart, lungs and thyroid gland (angina pectoris, bronchitis, goiter, asthma).

Important! Breathing disorders with VSD are not at all associated with diseases of the internal organs and their systems! However, a direct connection between hyperventilation syndrome, nervous disorders and panic attacks has been traced and proven.

One way to reduce the feeling of lack of air during an attack of VSD is to breathe into a paper bag.

This one is exclusively psychological problem may be manifested by the following symptoms:

• Feeling of lack of air, “incomplete” or “shallow” inspiration
• Feeling of tightness in the chest
• Yawning, cough
• "Lump in throat", difficulty breathing
• Heartache
• Numb fingers
• Fear of stuffy and cramped spaces
• Fear of death
• Feelings of fear and anxiety, tension
• Dry cough, wheezing, sore throat

Important! In the presence of asthma, patients find it difficult to breathe when exhaling, and with hyperventilation, problems arise when inhaling.

People with VSD have symptoms respiratory disorder may be the main complaint, or may be mild or even absent.

What are the dangers of breathing problems with VSD?

The feeling of lack of air during VSD and neuroses is an unpleasant symptom, but not so dangerous. And you need to treat an unpleasant symptom as a way by which the body tells you that it is difficult for it to cope with stress or overwork.

However, the difficulty of diagnosing this imbalance in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system can lead to a false diagnosis and, accordingly, to the prescription of incorrect (even dangerous!) treatment.

Timely assistance with hyperventilation syndrome is very important: otherwise problems may arise with cerebral circulation, proper functioning of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.

Also, a difficulty on the path to recovery can be a person’s reluctance to admit that he has hyperventilation syndrome: he stubbornly continues to “attribute” to himself more serious problems with health. It is very difficult to get rid of breathing problems in such a situation.

Psychology for treating the feeling of lack of air during VSD

Providing a person with intelligible information about changes in the state of his body, teaching self-control during exacerbations, changing a person’s attitude towards his illness - these are just some aspects of psychotherapeutic treatment.

The content of the article

We don't notice how we breathe. But if there is not enough air when inhaling, we think about the reasons. What prevents us from breathing deeply?

When there is not enough air when inhaling

Difficulty breathing that does not give satisfaction from inhalation is called shortness of breath. In healthy people, shortness of breath is the result of physical effort.

Organs and tissues lack oxygen, hypoxia and a feeling of lack of air develop. The respiratory center of the brain “commands” to increase breathing speed and reduce oxygen starvation. This condition is natural and does not require correction.

A GOOD WAY TO REDUCE PHYSIOLOGICAL BREATHNESS IS TO GO RUNNING, SWIMMING, SKIING.

Shortness of breath due to hyperventilation

Hyperventilation develops when blood enters stress hormones. They command the heart to pump a lot of blood and oxygen through the lungs, the person begins to breathe shallowly, quickly and “overflows” with O₂. At the same time, the feeling of lack of air does not disappear. The disorder is corrected with medications that calm the nervous system and breathing.

Hyperventilation accompanies certain conditions and diseases:

Panic attacks;

Hysterical and others;

Infections;

Pregnancy.

Difficulty breathing deeply

Shortness of breath is caused by:

• Obesity

Internal organs become covered with fat, the lungs cannot fully open and breathe, but contract. Shortness of breath develops from a lack of oxygen in the tissues.

• Iron-deficiency anemia

If there are no external causes of shortness of breath, but there is not enough air when inhaling, you need to check for iron deficiency anemia. Iron is part of the hemoglobin molecule, responsible for the delivery of oxygen to tissues and organs. Little hemoglobin means little oxygen and shortness of breath with little physical activity.

• Neuritis of the intercostal nerve

Everyone has experienced the feeling: you can’t breathe deeply because of a sharp pain in the area of ​​the heart or lung. The pain can be short-term - it tingles and goes away, or it can last a long time due to inflammation, injury or compression of the nerve.

All these conditions are treated: inflammation is relieved by exercise therapy and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for anemia they drink iron-containing drugs, obesity is fought with diet, sports, and surgical reduction of the volume of the stomach.

Nocturnal shortness of breath

“I wake up in a cold sweat, I wake up in a nightmare delirium...” sings the domestic group. The song accurately describes which accompanies episodes of cardiac or pulmonary insufficiency. A person does not have enough air when inhaling, he wakes up, sweating and panicking.

Causes of nocturnal shortness of breath:

Pulmonary embolism;

Cardiac or bronchial asthma;

This condition is understood as a violation of the depth and frequency of breathing, which is accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is classified into acute and chronic.

This condition can be caused by many reasons. First of all, these include various diseases of the heart, blood vessels, as well as a wide variety of negative environmental factors. But before starting treatment to get rid of this pathology, it is necessary to find out the cause that caused it.

If there is not enough inhaled air, it is easy to notice by external signs. The person constantly takes a deep breath. It is difficult for him to pronounce long sentences; he cannot quickly concentrate, react, or answer a question. It is also difficult for the patient to hold his head straight, since the blood in the blood negatively affects the condition of the muscles.

Each person can independently determine whether they have the first symptoms of pathology and, without wasting time, consult a doctor.

Signs of shortness of breath

There is not enough breathing not only when moving, but also at rest;

Pressure and sometimes pain are periodically felt in the chest;

Sleep is disturbed, as due to lack of oxygen you have to sleep half-sitting;

When breathing you hear wheezing or it becomes whistling;

There is a “barking” dry cough, difficulty swallowing, and a feeling of tightness in the throat.

In this case, the temperature persists for several days;

Breathing difficulties accompany allergic reactions.

Diseases leading to difficulty breathing

As we have already said, there is a distinction between chronic and acute shortness of breath. In most cases, this pathology is observed in people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. These include various heart defects and arrhythmias.

In addition, respiratory failure often occurs as a complication after influenza or acute respiratory infections. In these diseases, the heart poorly pumps blood through the veins and vessels, and therefore the organs and tissues of the body do not receive enough oxygen.

Shortness of air is often observed when allergic diseases. A reaction can occur to many substances, products that are this person allergens. For example, allergies occur to pollen, plant fluff, tree fluff, household dust, mold, cosmetics, chemicals, alcohol, etc. It can occur from eating eggs, nuts, wheat grains, whole milk, as well as from insect bites or when treated with certain medications.

Allergic diseases often provoke the development of bronchial asthma, which means dyspnea appears. In addition, excess weight, obesity, and poor nutrition contribute to the development of pathology. If a lack of air occurs during a conversation, this indicates that a narrowing of the small bronchi has occurred.

Many allergic manifestations accompanied by a lack of inhaled air, the intensity depends on the state of the human body. Therefore, if you experience such signs, be sure to consult a doctor.

Other causes of dyspnea include chronic diseases bronchi, lungs, high blood pressure(hypertension).

Feeling short of breath during pregnancy

The developing fetus affects the mother's blood circulation, and therefore the circulation of oxygen in the blood. At the same time, the level of hormones increases, which together leads to brain reactions and lack of breathing. Very often, dyspnea accompanies multiple pregnancies, as a greatly enlarged abdomen puts intense pressure on the diaphragm, causing shortness of breath.

In the second half of pregnancy, the feeling of lack of air during pregnancy is perceived as a common occurrence, but you should not take it lightly, as this may be a signal of some problems in the body. Therefore if future mom noticed that she often lacks air without visible reasons, it is best to consult a specialist.

Household reasons dyspnea

Quite often, shortness of breath occurs in a person who is in a room where there is accumulated a large number of people. This happens due to a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the air with a lack of oxygen. In this case, you need to immediately leave the room, go out into the fresh air and sit on a bench for a while.

Modern plastic windows are often an obstacle to the penetration of oxygen into the room. Therefore, do not forget to ventilate the room more often; in warm weather it is better to keep the windows open. It is especially important to follow this rule in the children's room and bedroom.

It must be said that sometimes even healthy people experience symptoms of dyspnea. For example, after a run you should not sit down or lie down immediately. You need to walk around a little first until your heart rate and breathing are restored. The heart cannot immediately adjust from running to a state of rest. This should happen gradually.

Try to take care of your health, don’t smoke, and do as much sports as you can. Be sure to treat your illnesses, do not suffer them “on your feet.” Then dyspnea will not bother you. Well, if you already feel short of breath, be sure to go medical examination and, if necessary, take measures for treatment. Be healthy!