If you are concerned about shortness of breath, you should talk to your healthcare provider because it may be a sign of a more serious condition.
How Shortness of Breath Is Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will start by taking a detailed medical history, a physical exam, and asking questions about when you get short of breath. Your provider will want to know if your shortness of breath
- gets worse with certain triggers (like tobacco smoke) or activities (such as climbing steps)
- happens along with other symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, cough, wheezing, lips turning blue, trouble breathing when you are sleeping or lying down and swelling in your feet and ankles
- comes on suddenly and happens often
- makes it harder to complete your daily activities like shopping, dressing, or bathing
After doing a physical exam and listening to your heart and lungs, your healthcare provider may order additional tests. These tests and procedures may include blood tests, imaging tests such as a chest X-ray or CT scan, lung function tests like spirometry or an echocardiogram.
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
Shortness of breath should not be ignored. You should make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you have shortness of breath that is not expected from an activity and the current state of your health. If your shortness of breath does not improve with treatment or you have other symptoms such as chest pain, you should go to a hospital immediately.
Treating Shortness of Breath
Treatment depends on what is causing your shortness of breath and how long you have the symptoms. Once you determine the cause, you and your healthcare provider can work together to create a treatment plan.
Your lifestyle may be a cause of your symptoms. If obesity or poor health is the cause, there may be lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise that can improve your symptoms. Smoking or vaping can worsen symptoms and cause or worsen underlying health conditions like COPD, so it is important to quit and avoid secondhand smoke. Similarly, avoiding indoor and outdoor air pollutants like strong smells or any known triggers can reduce symptoms.
If a lung condition like COPD or pulmonary fibrosis is causing your shortness of breath, you may want to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist in addition to your primary care provider. There are many ways to manage and treat chronic lung disease. In addition to medication, you and your healthcare provider may discuss attending pulmonary rehabilitation for disease-specific education, exercise, and social support.
Page last updated: June 13, 2024
