Breathlessness is something that can be caused by many different illnesses and conditions. This information is about the possible causes of breathlessness and offers advice on ways of reducing and dealing with this symptom.
Breathlessness can be the result of many medical conditions. It can be a frightening and distressing symptom to live with and can have an effect on all areas of your life. Besides making it difficult to carry out your usual daily physical activities, it can also affect how you feel about yourself and the relationships you have with others. Difficulty in breathing can cause feelings of anxiety and panic that can be difficult to control and, in turn, can actually make your breathing worse.
There can be many causes of breathlessness, it is important that the cause is identified so that the most helpful treatment can be given.
Breathlessness may occur suddenly or may gradually develop over weeks or months. It can often be a very difficult symptom to control. Basic daily activities such as washing and dressing, or types of emotional distress such as anger can trigger breathlessness. There are things that you can do to prevent or reduce breathlessness and these include coping strategies, breathing and relaxation techniques. These can all help to reduce the distress of breathlessness and make your breathing easier. However, some causes of breathlessness may require more specific treatments or medication.
Often, breathlessness can lead a person to breathe with their upper chest and shoulders in a rapid and shallow manner. This type of breathing uses a lot of energy and causes considerable fatigue.
Breathing control can produce a more relaxed and gentle breathing pattern. It involves relaxing the upper chest and shoulders and breathing at a normal rate, using the lower chest.
It is helpful to sit upright while doing these exercises rather than leaning forward.
Physiotherapists can teach you techniques for controlling your breathing. You could ask your doctor to refer you to a physiotherapist.
If your breathlessness is made worse by strong emotions, it may be helpful to speak to your doctor or nurse.
Simple exercises can help to reduce the anxiety that can make the breathlessness worse. They can give you a sense of control over what can be a difficult and frustrating symptom to live with.
It can be helpful to find a quiet and peaceful environment in which to do these exercises. Make sure that you are in a comfortable position with your shoulders, neck and back well supported, with your arms by your sides or hands cradled on your lap. This technique can take practice. Try it for perhaps 5–10 minutes once a day to start off with.
Once you feel comfortable doing this, you can move on to the next stage:
Once you feel comfortable doing the above exercises, it can help to imagine pleasant or tranquil surroundings or to listen to some relaxing music.
This can drain fluid from the area around the lung to allow better expansion of the lung.
Where cancer involves the lung, lymph glands or ribs, radiotherapy can reduce the size of the tumour. This can help with symptoms like breathlessness, pain or bleeding.
The painkiller morphine can be used to help relieve breathlessness. Morphine is mainly given as tablets, in liquid form or by injection.
Other types of painkillers can also be helpful in relieving breathlessness and also reducing the distress it can cause.
These are types of drugs that are often used to help reduce inflammation and spasm in the airways of the lungs, which in turn helps to reduce breathlessness.
These can help to relieve panic and medicines can be given to reduce the anxiety that breathlessness can cause.
A cylinder of oxygen with a mask can be helpful if your oxygen levels are low, particularly after activities needing a lot of exertion. Oxygen is organised through the respiratory team at the hospital or your palliative care doctor.
If breathlessness is being caused by a chest infection, antibiotics can help to relieve this.
Blood clots in the lung can contribute to breathlessness, and blood thinning medications (anticoagulants) can help with this.
A small research study has shown that acupuncture can be helpful for some people in relieving the experience of breathlessness. Other complementary therapies such as reflexology and homeopathy may also be helpful for some people.
Last updated:
06 December 2022