When you always want to take a deep breath. I am tormented by constant yawning and lack of air - what could it be? Physiological causes of frequent yawning

In many cases, shortness of breath situations can be an indicator of serious illness. Therefore, one cannot ignore such a deviation and wait until the next attack passes in the hope that a new one will not happen again soon.

Almost always, if there is not enough air when inhaling, the reason lies in hypoxia - a drop in oxygen content in cells and tissues. It could also be due to hypoxemia, when oxygen drops in the blood itself.

Each of these deviations becomes the main factor why activation begins in the brain's respiratory center, heartbeat and breathing become more frequent. In this case, gas exchange in the blood with atmospheric air becomes more intense and oxygen starvation decreases.

Almost every person experiences a feeling of lack of oxygen while running or other physical activity, but if this happens even with a calm step or at rest, then the situation is serious. Any indicators such as changes in breathing rhythm, shortness of breath, duration of inhalation and exhalation should not be ignored.

Types of shortness of breath and other data on the disease

Dyspnea, or in non-medical language - shortness of breath, is a disease that is accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. In the case of heart problems, the appearance of shortness of breath begins during physical exertion in the early stages, and if the situation gradually worsens without treatment, even in a relative state of rest.

This is especially evident in a horizontal position, which forces the patient to constantly sit.

Manifesting itself as attacks of severe shortness of breath most often at night, the deviation may be a manifestation of cardiac asthma. In this case, breathing becomes difficult and this is an indicator of inspiratory dyspnea. The expiratory type of shortness of breath is when, on the contrary, it is difficult to exhale air.

This happens due to a narrowing of the lumen in the small bronchi or in case of loss of elasticity in the lung tissues. Directly cerebral dyspnea manifests itself due to irritation of the respiratory center, which can occur as a result of tumors and hemorrhages.

Difficulty or rapid breathing

Depending on the frequency of respiratory contractions, there may be 2 types of shortness of breath:

bradypnea - respiratory movements per minute of 12 or less, occurs due to damage to the brain or its membranes, when hypoxia lasts for a long time, which can be accompanied by diabetes mellitus and diabetic coma;

The main criterion that shortness of breath is pathological is that it occurs under normal conditions and light loads, when it was previously absent.

Physiology of the respiratory process and why there may be problems

When it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air, the reasons may be a disruption of complex processes at the physiological level. Oxygen enters our body, into the lungs and spreads to all cells thanks to surfactant.

This is a complex of various active substances (polysaccharides, proteins, phospholipids, etc.) lining the alveoli of the lungs. Responsible for ensuring that the lung bubbles do not stick together and oxygen freely enters the lungs.

The value of surfactant is very significant - with its help, the spread of air through the alveolar membrane is immediately accelerated. That is, we can say that we can breathe thanks to surfactant.

The less surfactant, the more difficult it will be for the body to ensure normal respiratory processes.

Surfactant helps the lungs absorb and absorb oxygen, prevents the lung walls from sticking together, improves immunity, protects the epithelium and prevents edema. Therefore, if there is a constant feeling of oxygen starvation, it is quite possible that the body is unable to ensure healthy breathing due to failures in the production of surfactant.

Possible causes of the disease

Often a person may feel: “I’m suffocating, as if there’s a stone on my lungs.” In good health, this situation should not occur in a normal state of rest or in the case of light exertion. The reasons for lack of oxygen can be very diverse:

strong emotions and stress;
allergic reaction;

Despite such a large list of possible reasons why it may be difficult to breathe, surfactant is almost always at the root of the problem. If we consider from a physiological point of view, this is the fatty membrane of the inner walls of the alveoli.

The alveolus is a vesicular depression in the lungs and is involved in the respiratory act. Thus, if everything is in order with the surfactant, any diseases on the lungs and breathing will be minimally reflected.

Therefore, if we see people in transport, pale and in a faint state, most likely it’s all about the surfactant. When a person notices: “I yawn too often,” it means the substance is not being produced correctly.

How to avoid problems with surfactant

It has already been noted that the basis of the surfactant is fats, of which it consists of almost 90%. The rest is completed by polysaccharides and proteins. The key function of fats in our body is precisely the synthesis of this substance.

Therefore, a common reason why problems with surfactant arise is following the fashion for a low-fat diet. People who have eliminated fats from their diet (which can be beneficial, and not just harmful), soon begin to suffer from hypoxia.

Unsaturated fats are healthy and are found in fish, nuts, olive and vegetable oils. Among plant products, avocado is an excellent product in this regard.

A lack of healthy fats in the diet leads to hypoxia, which subsequently develops into ischemic heart diseases, which are one of the most common causes of premature mortality. It is especially important for women to correctly formulate their diet during pregnancy, so that both she and the child produce all the necessary substances in the right quantities.

How to take care of your lungs and alveoli

Since we breathe through the lungs through the mouth, and oxygen enters the body only through the alveolar link, if you have breathing problems, you need to take care of the health of the respiratory system. You may also have to pay special attention to the heart, since if there is a lack of oxygen, various problems may begin with it that require prompt treatment.

In addition to eating right and including healthy fatty foods in your diet, there are other effective preventive measures you can take. A good way to improve your health is to visit salt rooms and caves. Now they can easily be found in almost any city.

VSD and feeling of lack of air

The feeling of difficulty breathing is a frequent accompaniment of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Why do people with VSD sometimes cannot take a full breath? One common cause is hyperventilation syndrome.

This problem is not related to the lungs, heart or bronchi.

Also, don’t forget to thank your doctors.

cardiologist4 21:26

cardiologist3 15:45

cardiologist5 23:21

I am a resident of eastern Ukraine; I came to the northern capital of Russia, St. Petersburg, for about a year now. During the first week of my stay I began to feel unwell (shortness of breath, noticeably rapid heartbeat when inhaling, heaviness in the heart area, fatigue in the muscles of the left forearm, muscles of the chest on the left side.), but my fellow countrymen told me that it’s okay - you’ll get used to it - then It will pass, I thought it was acclimatization. But as it turned out, it became more difficult (the SYMPTOMS INTENSIFIED AND FREQUENCY, THE OUTER PHALANGES ON THE HANDS AND LIPS BEGAN TO BE NUMBER. MORE THAN A MONTH PASSED), I forced myself to quit smoking and began to do Tibetan exercises, because for some reason I believed, according to my internal state , that this was all an erroneous diagnosis, and decided that maybe I had chondrosis somewhere on the spine or chest. After a while, the symptoms went away, the reason is unknown to me, either exercise, or time, or the weather. Or maybe he quit smoking. I was glad that I felt normal and nothing bothered me. But I was not happy for long. After a long day of work and heavy physical exertion, in the evening after eating, the symptoms appeared again, but much less pleasant and more aggravated. Later, the numbness in my hands developed into a cramp, I felt that something was wrong with the blood and gave an injection.

I started taking SUPRADIN vitamins. Two courses, seven after seven, did not change the specifics of the work - physical activity. Before bed, 80 grams of warm red wine. In the morning, a hearty breakfast after Tibetan exercises. Well, until this relapse has passed.

The previous evening I had a huge fight with my wife. I was very nervous and drank a lot of vodka, didn’t eat much, ate well and went to bed very drunk. I woke up with the usual hangover, mild.

First hour of work, symptoms: shortness of breath, SEVERE FATIGUE.

Later 30 minutes, symptoms: Severe shortness of breath, heaviness in the muscles, pressure on the temples and the heart area.

I took VALIDOL. Symptoms after another 30 minutes: I MOVE EASIER, I STOP - SYMPTOMS INCREASE.

I took time off from work, took NITROGLYCYRINE with me, came to the house, didn’t go in until it passed, moved with a light step, VALIDOL was still under the tongue, about half of it. Well, it seems like it was okay. I went home and brewed chamomile, St. John's wort, agave and Crimean thyme. I made a strong decoction and drank it. After about 30-40 minutes it became easier - I could be in a calm state, all the symptoms went away, only slight pressure remained on the temples and, with a sudden movement, the heart area. I found peppermint and added it to the teapot, I only drink this, I’m afraid of taking other medications without the advice of a specialist!

What, in fact, is the ESSENCE OF APPEALING TO YOU. I WAKE UP WITH THE FACT THAT I CAN’T BREATHE! AS AS IF THIS IS NOT AN UNCONDITIONED REFLEX AND IT NEEDS TO BE CONTROLLED!

I ask you to advise me on prevention or treatment based on these symptoms.

I will be very grateful for your attention. I am 32 years old, 63/172 AB(4) Rh+

Why there is not enough air when breathing and yawning begins

Dangerous symptoms

Sometimes difficulty breathing occurs for physiological reasons, which are quite easily remedied. But if you constantly feel like yawning and taking deep breaths, this could be a symptom of a serious illness. It’s even worse when, against this background, shortness of breath (dyspnea) often occurs, appearing even with minimal physical exertion. This is already a reason to worry and see a doctor.

You should go to the hospital immediately if difficulty breathing is accompanied by:

pain in the chest area;
changes in skin color;
nausea and dizziness;
severe coughing attacks;
increased body temperature;
swelling and cramps of the limbs;
feeling of fear and internal tension.

These symptoms usually clearly signal pathologies in the body, which need to be identified and eliminated as soon as possible.

Causes of lack of air

All the reasons why a person may go to the doctor with the complaint: “I can’t breathe fully and I’m constantly yawning” can be roughly divided into psychological, physiological and pathological. Conditionally - because everything in our body is closely interconnected, and the failure of one system entails disruption of the normal functioning of other organs.

Thus, prolonged stress, which is attributed to psychological reasons, can provoke hormonal imbalance and cardiovascular problems.

Physiological

The most harmless are physiological reasons that can cause difficulty breathing:

Lack of oxygen. It is strongly felt in the mountains, where the air is thin. So if you've recently changed your geographic location and are now significantly above sea level, it's normal to find it difficult to breathe at first. Well, ventilate the apartment more often.
Stuffy room. Two factors play a role here - a lack of oxygen and an excess of carbon dioxide, especially if there are many people in the room.
Tight clothes. Many people don’t even think about it, but in pursuit of beauty, sacrificing convenience, they deprive themselves of a significant portion of oxygen. Clothes that strongly compress the chest and diaphragm are especially dangerous: corsets, tight bras, tight bodysuits.
Poor physical shape. Lack of air and shortness of breath at the slightest exertion are experienced by those who lead a sedentary lifestyle or have spent a lot of time in bed due to illness.
Overweight. It causes a whole bunch of problems, in which yawning and shortness of breath are not the most serious. But be careful - if you significantly exceed normal weight, heart pathologies quickly develop.

It is difficult to breathe in the heat, especially if you are severely dehydrated. The blood becomes thicker, and it is harder for the heart to push it through the vessels. As a result, the body does not receive enough oxygen. The person begins to yawn and try to breathe deeper.

Medical

Shortness of breath, yawning and a regularly felt lack of air can cause serious illnesses. Moreover, often these signs are the first symptoms that allow diagnosing the disease at an early stage.

Therefore, if you constantly have difficulty breathing, be sure to go to the doctor. The most common possible diagnoses are:

VSD – vegetative-vascular dystonia. This disease is the scourge of our time, and it is usually triggered by severe or chronic nervous overstrain. A person feels constant anxiety, fears, panic attacks develop, and fear of enclosed spaces arises. Difficulty breathing and yawning are warning signs of such attacks.
Anemia. Acute iron deficiency in the body. It is necessary to carry oxygen. When there is not enough of it, even with normal breathing it seems that there is not enough air. The person begins to constantly yawn and take deep breaths.
Bronchopulmonary diseases: bronchial asthma, pleurisy, pneumonia, acute and chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis. All of them, in one way or another, lead to the fact that it becomes almost impossible to take a full breath.
Respiratory diseases, acute and chronic. Due to swelling and drying of the mucous membranes of the nose and larynx, it becomes difficult to breathe. Often the nose and throat are clogged with mucus. When yawning, the larynx opens as much as possible, so when we have the flu and ARVI, we not only cough, but also yawn.
Heart diseases: ischemia, acute heart failure, cardiac asthma. They are difficult to diagnose early. Often shortness of breath, coupled with difficulty breathing and chest pain, is a sign of a heart attack. If this condition occurs suddenly, it is better to immediately call an ambulance.
Pulmonary thromboembolism. People suffering from thrombophlebitis are at serious risk. A detached blood clot can block the pulmonary artery and cause part of the lung to die. But at first it becomes difficult to breathe, there is constant yawning and a feeling of acute lack of air.

As you can see, most diseases are not just serious - they pose a threat to the patient’s life. Therefore, if you often feel short of breath, then it is better not to delay your visit to the doctor.

Psychogenic

And again, we cannot help but recall stress, which is one of the main causes of the development of many diseases today.

Yawning under stress is an unconditioned reflex inherent in us by nature. If you observe animals, you will notice that when they are nervous, they yawn constantly. And in this sense, we are no different from them.

When stressed, a spasm of the capillaries occurs, and the heart begins to beat faster due to the release of adrenaline. Because of this, blood pressure increases. In this case, taking a deep breath and yawning perform a compensatory function and protect the brain from destruction.

When you are very frightened, there is often a muscle spasm, which makes it impossible to take a full breath. It’s not for nothing that the expression “takes your breath away” exists.

What to do

If you find yourself in a situation where frequent yawning and shortness of breath occur, do not try to panic - this will only worsen the problem. The first thing you need to do is to provide an additional flow of oxygen: open a window or vent, if possible, go outside.

Try to loosen as much as possible the clothing that prevents you from fully inhaling: take off your tie, unbutton your collar, corset or bra. To avoid dizziness, it is better to take a sitting or lying position. Now you need to take a very deep breath through your nose and an extended exhalation through your mouth.

After several such breaths, the condition usually improves noticeably. If this does not happen, and the dangerous symptoms listed above are added to the lack of air, call an ambulance immediately.

Before medical professionals arrive, do not take medications on your own if they are not prescribed by your doctor - they can distort the clinical picture and make it difficult to make a diagnosis.

Diagnostics

Emergency doctors usually quickly determine the cause of sudden difficulty breathing and the need for hospitalization. If there are no serious concerns, and the attack is caused by physiological reasons or severe stress and does not recur, then you can sleep peacefully.

But if you suspect heart or lung disease, it is better to undergo an examination, which may include:

general blood and urine analysis;
X-ray of the lungs;
electrocardiogram;
Ultrasound of the heart;
bronchoscopy;
computed tomogram.

What types of research are needed in your case will be determined by your doctor during your initial examination.

If lack of air and constant yawning are caused by stress, then you may need to consult a psychologist or neurologist, who will tell you how to relieve nervous tension or prescribe medications: sedatives or antidepressants.

Treatment and prevention

When a patient comes to the doctor with the complaint: “I can’t breathe completely, I’m yawning, what should I do?”, the doctor first of all collects a detailed medical history. This allows us to exclude physiological causes of oxygen deficiency.

In the case of overweight, treatment is obvious - the patient should be referred to a nutritionist. Without controlled weight loss, the problem cannot be solved.

If the examination results reveal acute or chronic diseases of the heart or respiratory tract, treatment is prescribed according to the protocol. This requires taking medications and possibly physiotherapeutic procedures.

A good prevention and even a method of treatment is breathing exercises. But in case of bronchopulmonary diseases, it can only be done with the permission of the attending physician. Incorrectly selected or performed exercises in this case can provoke a severe coughing attack and a deterioration in the general condition.

It is very important to keep yourself in good physical shape. Even with heart disease, there are special sets of exercises that help you recover faster and return to a normal lifestyle. Aerobic exercise is especially beneficial - it trains the heart and develops the lungs.

Active outdoor games (badminton, tennis, basketball, etc.), cycling, walking at a fast pace, swimming will not only help get rid of shortness of breath and provide an additional flow of oxygen, but will also tighten your muscles, making you slimmer. And then, even high in the mountains, you will feel great and enjoy the journey, and not suffer from constant shortness of breath and yawning.

It is difficult to take a full breath - what could this mean?

When it is difficult to take a full breath, a suspicion of lung pathology first arises. But such a symptom may indicate a complicated course of osteochondrosis. Therefore, if you have breathing problems, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of difficulty breathing in osteochondrosis

Shortness of breath and the inability to take a full breath are characteristic signs of cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis. Pathology in the spine occurs for various reasons. But most often the development of degenerative processes is provoked by: a sedentary lifestyle, work associated with increased stress on the back, and poor posture. The impact of these factors over many years has a negative impact on the condition of the intervertebral discs: they become less elastic and durable (the vertebrae shift towards the paravertebral structures).

If osteochondrosis progresses, bone tissue is involved in destructive processes (osteophytes appear on the vertebrae), muscles and ligaments. Over time, a protrusion or herniation of the disc forms. When the pathology is localized in the cervical spine, the nerve roots and the vertebral artery are compressed (through which blood and oxygen flow to the brain): pain in the neck, a feeling of lack of air, and tachycardia appear.

When intervertebral discs are destroyed and vertebrae are displaced in the thoracic spine, the structure of the chest changes, the phrenic nerve is irritated, and the roots that are responsible for the innervation of the organs of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are pinched. The external manifestation of such processes is pain, which intensifies when trying to take a deep breath, and disruption of the functioning of the lungs and heart.

Features of the manifestation of osteochondrosis

The clinical manifestations of cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis are different. In the first stages of development, it can be asymptomatic. Shortness of breath and chest pain when breathing deeply occur as the disease progresses. Shortness of breath can be bothersome both during the day and at night. During sleep, it is accompanied by snoring. The patient's sleep becomes interrupted, as a result of which he wakes up tired and overwhelmed.

In addition to respiratory disorders, with osteochondrosis the following appear:

pain between the shoulder blades;
cardiopalmus;
stiffness in hand movements;
headaches (most often in the occipital region);
numbness, stiffness of the neck;
dizziness, fainting;
tremor of the upper extremities;
blueness of fingertips.

Often, such signs of osteochondrosis are perceived as a pathology of the lungs or heart. However, true disturbances in the functioning of these systems can be distinguished from spinal disease by the presence of other symptoms.

It’s difficult to understand on your own why you can’t take a deep breath. But at home you can do the following:

take a sitting position, hold your breath for 40 seconds;
try to blow out the candle at a distance of 80 cm.

If the tests fail, this indicates a problem with the respiratory system. To make an accurate diagnosis, you must consult a doctor.

Breathing problems: diagnosis, treatment

Only a doctor can find out why it is difficult to take a full breath after the patient has undergone a comprehensive examination. It includes:

Examination of the chest organs. Prescribed:

Diagnosis of the spine. It includes:

radiography;
contrasting discography;
myelography;
computer or magnetic resonance imaging.

If during the examination no serious pathologies of the internal organs were revealed, but signs of osteochondrosis were found, the spine needs to be treated. Therapy should be comprehensive and include drug and non-drug treatment.

During drug therapy the following is prescribed:

Painkillers and vasodilators. The principle of their operation:

accelerate the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and tissues of the affected spine;
reduce vascular spasms and pain;
improve metabolism.

Chondroprotectors are taken in order to:

restore the elasticity of intervertebral discs;
prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Effect of use:

pain decreases;
inflammation and swelling of tissues in the place of compression of blood vessels and spinal cord roots disappears;

relieve muscle tension;
restore motor function of the spine.

Additionally, vitamins are prescribed. In difficult situations, it is recommended to wear a Shants collar: it supports the neck, thereby reducing pressure on the roots and blood vessels (the feeling of lack of air does not occur so often).

An integral part of complex treatment of the spine is the use of auxiliary treatment procedures. The main goals of such therapy:

reduce the severity of pain;
strengthen the muscle corset;
eliminate breathing problems;
stimulate metabolic processes in affected tissues;
prevent exacerbation of pain.

Non-drug treatment of osteochondrosis includes:

acupuncture – improves blood flow, blocks pathological impulses of the peripheral nervous system;
electrophoresis - relaxes muscles, dilates blood vessels, has a calming effect;
magnetotherapy. It helps improve cerebral circulation, saturate the myocardium with oxygen (the activity of the chest organs is normalized, shortness of breath disappears);
Exercise therapy and breathing exercises. The effect of the exercises: the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are strengthened;
massage – accelerates the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and chest organs, relaxes muscles, and normalizes metabolism.

Constant lack of air with osteochondrosis can lead to the development of bronchial asthma and inflammation of the heart muscle. In severe cases, pathology of the cervical or thoracic spine causes complete loss of respiratory functions, disability and even death. Therefore, after confirming the diagnosis, you must immediately begin taking therapeutic measures.

If treatment recommendations are followed, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. Exceptions are made in cases of delayed consultation with a doctor: when a prolonged lack of air has led to irreversible changes in the tissues of the brain.

To prevent the occurrence of shortness of breath in osteochondrosis and exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended:

Exercise regularly.
Be in the fresh air as often as possible: this will reduce the likelihood of hypoxia.
Eat properly.
Quit smoking and minimize alcohol consumption.
Watch your posture.
Running, swimming, roller skating and skiing.
Do inhalations with essential oils and citrus fruits (if you are not allergic to fruits).
Have a full rest.
Change the soft bed to an orthopedic one.
Avoid excessive stress on the spine.
Strengthen the immune system with folk remedies or medications (as recommended by a doctor).

Lack of air, shortness of breath, pain when taking a deep breath - may be signs of heart and respiratory diseases or a manifestation of complicated osteochondrosis. To prevent health and life-threatening consequences, you must consult a doctor: he will identify the cause of the respiratory system dysfunction and select the correct treatment.

It’s hard to breathe, there’s not enough air: reasons, what to do

How dangerous are attacks of shortness of breath in a person, shortness of breath, attacks of suffocation, why does this happen, and how to deal with it?

Most often, there is not enough air, it becomes difficult to breathe, shortness of breath occurs due to heart or pulmonary diseases, and you can read about this in great detail in the article on our website alter-zdrav.ru “Shortness of breath - causes, symptoms, treatment, first aid.”

This article is about those cases where everything is fine with the heart and lungs, no pathologies were found, and a person who suffocates from time to time has already been checked by a neurologist, a pulmonologist, or a therapist, and nothing serious was found in him.

This is exactly the situation that is discouraging and frightening, because the specific reason has not been identified, why the feeling of lack of air appeared, there are no organic pathologies, but shortness of breath and heaviness in the chest still arise, and usually at the most inopportune moment.

When a person cannot explain the reason, their own interpretations and arguments arise, which cause anxiety and fear, which does not improve the situation, and even worsens it.

Causes of difficulty breathing

Probably every person has ever experienced a sudden feeling of pressure in the chest, lack of air, when it is difficult to take a deep breath... Why does this happen?

The reason is not in the lungs, not in the bronchi, but in the muscles of the chest, namely in the intercostal muscles and in the muscles that are involved in the act of breathing. We need to figure out what is happening.

First, tension occurs in these very intercostal muscles, the muscles of the chest, which is why there are sensations of stiffness and difficulty in breathing. In fact, inhalation is not difficult, but there is a feeling that there is not enough air; it seems to the person that he cannot breathe.

When there is a feeling that it is impossible to take a deep breath, fears appear, panic attacks occur, and an additional portion of adrenaline is released.

This causes the intercostal muscles and chest muscles to contract even more, which leads to even more difficulty breathing. Naturally, the person tries to breathe deeper and inhales too much air, more than necessary.

That is, there is a feeling that there is not enough air, but at the same time enough oxygen enters through the bronchi, and due to the fact that a person suffering from shortness of breath breathes quickly and deeply or superficially, it turns out that too much oxygen is inhaled.

There is, on the one hand, stiffness of the chest muscles and difficulty breathing and, on the other hand, due to a feeling of lack of oxygen, rapid deep or rapid breathing, which leads to oversaturation of the blood with oxygen.

Thus, a vicious circle is formed, in the center of which there is a conscious focus on the feeling of pressure in the chest, on the lack of air for a full inhalation, which leads to a muscular reaction and contraction of the respiratory organs and is interpreted as a feeling of inadequate breathing.

It is worth noting that as a result of such a behavioral reaction, which seems understandable and logical, but is far from functional, the blood becomes oversaturated with oxygen, acidosis occurs, the acid-base balance in the blood changes, and this further aggravates the contraction of the respiratory muscles, leading to expansion vessels in the heart and brain, that very feeling of “derealization” arises when a person loses the sense of reality, the reality of what is happening.

Types of difficulty breathing

It is also worth mentioning that there are 2 types of shortness of breath:

Type 1 – when a person cannot inhale completely (a feeling of incomplete inhalation), and the inhalation lasts a long time (inspiratory state, that is, inhalation shortness of breath). This occurs when there is difficulty breathing through the upper respiratory tract.

Type 2 – when it is impossible to exhale completely, and the exhalation lasts a long time, without bringing satisfaction (experimental situation). Usually occurs in asthma.

There is also a mixed state of breathing problems, when it is difficult to both inhale and exhale. But these types are usually caused by organ pathologies.

With shortness of breath due to nervousness, the patient cannot say for sure whether it is difficult for him to inhale or exhale, he simply says “it is difficult to breathe”, there is a feeling that there is not enough air. Moreover, if you start breathing more often or deeper, relief does not come.

How to get rid of shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

First, you need to identify the reason why, as they say, “your soul and heart hurt.” For some it’s the situation in the country, for others it’s a lack of money or family troubles, some kind of unpleasant diagnosis. You need to ask yourself the question: is this problem worth such worries? This is the beginning of healing; if you answer your question honestly, it will become easier to breathe.

Excessive compassion should be removed from thoughts. This is a virus in disguise. People are often told: “Be compassionate!”, that is, to suffer with someone together, if one person felt bad, then the second person takes on the suffering of the first, and so along the chain everyone around becomes bad, and this leads to severity in chest, rapid breathing and heartbeat, to moral anxiety and despondency. There is a correct program - mercy. It is much wiser to replace compassion with mercy.

You shouldn’t dwell on failures; you need to solve your problems or let them go, especially if they are more far-fetched. It will become much easier to breathe, your chest will feel lighter. You should think positively and not allow gloomy thoughts to enter your mind.

In addition to the above, you need to use breathing techniques (information about each method is freely available on the Internet), for example:
Breathing exercises by Strelnikova;
Hatha yoga – control of one’s condition through Indian practice;

Of course, the correct daily routine and nutrition, sufficiently long sleep, frequent walks in the fresh air are important, then panic attacks will not bother you.

The most important thing is to manage stress

Any prolonged stress - troubles at work or lack thereof, a difficult physical period after a long illness, surgery, divorce, retirement and even expecting a child - can slowly deplete the body. And the body, no matter how much we tend to ignore it, needs care and attention.

And then the body, exhausted by tension and stress, has no other way to attract attention to itself except to “break” this internal “stop tap” and provoke a panic attack, thereby forcing its “owner” to take care of itself.

Psychiatrists don’t like to treat this condition, and neither do psychotherapists. As a rule, neurologists deal with this issue. Medicines for neuroses, antidepressants and tranquilizers are usually prescribed; it is sometimes called vegetative-vascular dystonia or asthenic syndrome.

In American films, patients suffering from shortness of breath are often recommended to breathe into a bag to limit the supply of oxygen, although this method is not very effective.

To summarize, we can say with confidence that there is no pathology behind attacks of panic attacks and suffocation. If the cardiovascular system is normal, and the cardiologist found nothing, if the lungs are examined and are healthy, then shortness of breath is not associated with organic diseases.

The feeling of suffocation that occurs from time to time is nothing more than a programmed automatic reaction of the nervous system. The most important thing is that it is not dangerous and harmless, it arises as a result of anticipation or fear of suffocation.

This reaction is absolutely reversible. It is clear that the feeling of fear about the lack of oxygen is very unpleasant in itself, and you need to get rid of it.

In order to avoid these attacks, it is imperative to train the nervous system (vegetative), to be more precise, the sympathetic department, so that it does not become overexcited and overexerted so quickly. For this, there are special exercises, meditations for relaxation and a calmer perception of life's problems.

The first step in getting rid of shortness of breath is to understand the origins of why it occurs, recognize the fact that it is not caused by a heart or lung disease, and be convinced from your own experience that it is a controlled, reversible reaction that does not cause any harm. This is not self-hypnosis; indeed, the respiratory and intercostal muscles contract under the influence of nerve impulses.

PEOPLE WHO CAN'T YAWN. How to deal with it

This, of course, sounds somewhat strange, but two weeks ago I was unable to yawn for the first time in my life. First, you stretch as usual, take in air, and it hangs somewhere in the area of the roof of your mouth. And it hangs there, not moving. You stand there like a fool, with your mouth agape, and at the same time the back of your head is itching. It's crazy.

Out of habit, I asked Yandex what I should do. The Internet responded to the query “I can’t yawn” with numerous calls for help that floated around unanswered. Hundreds of people cannot yawn and look for the reasons for this in everything that surrounds them, and no one can help them, because no one really knows why this happens.

Tatyana from Vologda writes on the traditional medicine forum “Zdravushka”: “Sometimes I want to take a deep breath or yawn - but I can’t! Is it dangerous?" User Villi addresses Medkanal regulars: “I have problems falling asleep, this is due to the fact that it’s difficult for me to breathe air, and for some reason I can’t yawn.” Girl Dauzhas on the LikarInfo portal: “I open my mouth like a fish and cannot yawn, as if there is not enough air. I feel like I'm going to suffocate now. And so often, very often, a hundred times a day, sometimes the muscles of the larynx begin to ache.”

Service [email protected] witnessed a heartbreaking chronicle: Aizulin says that he has not been able to yawn for two days: he breathes normally, deeply, does not go to training because he is scared, on the street he manages to forget about the problem, but does not yawn. “I open my mouth very wide, but the yawning function seems to have been turned off. Help me please!" And Rainy replies: “I can’t either. This goes on for about eight years. It probably started at thirteen. I've never smoked. It also happens that you have to strain to take a deep breath. On the street I don’t think about it either, but when I go to bed or just sit at home, it starts. And now too."

The fact is that everyone who is faced with non-yawning cannot find a way out, because there are no recipes or understanding of the nature of this phenomenon. People come up with dozens of different options. Nervous spasm. Respiratory neurosis. Neurocircular dystonia. Thyroid gland. Physical inactivity. Vegetative-vascular dystonia. Spine. Heart. Emotions. Nervous overstrain. Smoking. Self-hypnosis. Allergy. Asthma. Rudiments from primates. A lot of coffee.

How to get rid of this? The Internet, as usual, knows all the answers. Here is just a small list of folk remedies. Stretch your arms and jerk them. Inhale, release your hands, exhale. Breathing exercises. Drink a sedative. Half squat, lean your elbows on your knees, relax your back. Thirty drops of Corvalol. Noshpa and inhalation of diphenhydramine. Get a job as a loader, work a couple of shifts, sit awake in front of the computer all night. Go swimming. Take a walk and get some air. Drink more water. Go to the doctor. And don't think about it. Not to think. Not to think. Not to think. And take antidepressants. Breathe deeply. Sign up for lectures on art history.

I propose a radically opposite approach to the matter. You need to look at any of the four paintings in the “Scream” series by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch every day. It is reported that Munch wanted to depict the cry of nature and a creature trying to escape from this deafening scream, but if you look closely, you can see that the canvases depict a tired, tortured and twitchy man who stands with his mouth open, and tries to take a deep breath and yawn , but he hasn’t been able to do this for many years now, and no one, not even the Internet, can help him.

If Norwegian art doesn't cut it, you can look at these dudes, they yawn so much they start sneezing.

It's hard to take a deep breath

You know, I come across a similar question quite often on the Internet, but I haven’t found a question about it anywhere. I decided to ask you, dear doctors and forum users.

The problem is this: there is a wild desire to take a deep breath, but it doesn’t work out fully: as if there is not enough chest, something is resting there, and that’s it, such an unpleasant feeling in the chest and again a wild desire to inhale. After 7-10 attempts I can breathe, but then it all starts all over again. If you try to suppress this feeling and breathe calmly, then it turns out somehow artificially, your head begins to spin a little and such a deep yawning begins. And I’ve had this since I was a teenager, now I’m 26.

I have not found the reasons for this feeling. May not bother you for a couple of months. Now it “comes” every day. It always appears after overeating, in the heat, from mints (maybe a coincidence?), etc. Just. I began to sin on vasoconstrictor drops: I can’t give them up completely, I drop 0.5 - 0.25% for children, only at night, and in one nostril. I have been dependent on the drops for a long time; I might not take them for a week, but then no, no, I’ll start taking them. However, during the period of “no dripping” this also happens. On the contrary, if my nose is stuffy and I try to breathe through my mouth, I just start to choke

I couldn’t find an answer from either therapists or cardiologists. When I was 16, I was diagnosed with tachycardia, but then it seemed to go away with age.

I would be very grateful to hear your opinion! Thanks in advance to everyone who responded!

What to do if there is not enough air during VSD?

Complaints from those suffering from vegetative dystonia that there is a lack of air are heard frequently. The pseudo-disease, which most doctors consider dystonia, is often accompanied by unexpected panic and fear for life.

VSD - there is a problem, there is no disease

sudden shortness of breath;
headaches;
weather sensitivity;
pressure changes.

There are other symptoms of autonomic nervous system disorder. Often found:

tightness or pressure in the chest, in the area of the heart;
feeling of a lump in the throat;
difficulty inhaling and exhaling;
tachycardia;
tremor of the limbs;
dizziness.

These manifestations are characteristic of a common form of autonomic dysfunction - pulmonary hyperventilation syndrome, which accompanies a panic attack with lack of air. It is known that 15% of adults on the planet are familiar with this condition.

Lack of air is often mistaken for a manifestation of respiratory system diseases. This is not surprising, because something similar happens with asthma and bronchitis. But distinguishing the feeling of lack of oxygen during VSD from a life-threatening condition - acute respiratory failure - is not so simple.

Of all the unconscious functions of the body (heartbeat, bile secretion, peristalsis), only breathing is controlled by the human will. Each of us is able to hold it for a while, slow it down, or start breathing very quickly. This occurs due to the fact that the work of the lungs and bronchi is coordinated simultaneously by two parts of the nervous system:

While singing, playing wind instruments, inflating balloons, trying to get rid of hiccups, everyone independently controls the breathing process. Unconsciously, the respiratory function is regulated when a person falls asleep or, relaxing, thinks. Breathing becomes automatic and there is no danger of suffocation.

The medical literature describes a rare hereditary disease - Ondine's curse syndrome (congenital central hypoventilation syndrome). It is characterized by a lack of autonomous control over the breathing process, decreased sensitivity to hypoxia and hypercapnia. The patient cannot breathe independently and may die from suffocation in his sleep. Currently, medicine is making great strides even in the treatment of such pathology.

The special innervation of breathing makes it hypersensitive to the influence of external factors - provocateurs of VSD:

The feeling as if there is not enough air is closely related to autonomic dysfunction and is reversible.

Recognizing the disease is not an easy task

How correctly metabolic reactions occur depends on correct gas exchange. By inhaling air, people receive a portion of oxygen, and by exhaling, they return carbon dioxide to the external environment. A small amount of it is retained in the blood, affecting the acid-base balance.

When there is an excess of this substance, which appears along with an attack of VSD, respiratory movements become more frequent.
Lack of carbon dioxide (hypocapnia) leads to rare breathing.

A distinctive feature of VSD is that attacks of suffocation appear with a certain frequency, as a consequence of the influence of a very active stimulus on the psyche. A combination of symptoms is common:

Feeling like you can't breathe deeply. It becomes stronger when a person finds himself in a crowded place, a closed space. Sometimes worries before an exam, a performance, or an important conversation intensify the so-called empty breath.
Feeling of a lump in the throat, as if there was an obstacle to the passage of oxygen to the respiratory organs.
Stiffness of the chest, preventing you from taking a full breath.
Intermittent breathing (with short stops), accompanied by an obsessive fear of death.
A sore throat that develops into a continuous, long-lasting dry cough.

Bouts of yawning in the middle of the day and frequent deep sighs are also considered symptoms of a respiratory disorder of neurotic origin. At the same time, discomfort in the heart area and short-term surges in blood pressure may occur.

How to eliminate a dangerous condition

From time to time, those suffering from VSD experience dyspeptic symptoms that make them think about various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The following symptoms of autonomic imbalance lead to this:

attacks of nausea, vomiting;
intolerance to certain foods;
constipation, diarrhea;
causeless abdominal pain;
increased gas formation, flatulence.

At times, with VSD, along with a lack of air, there is a disturbing feeling that what is happening around is unreal, you often feel dizzy, and faintness occurs. Even more confusing is the rising temperature (37-37.5 degrees) and nasal congestion.

Similar symptoms are characteristic of other diseases. People suffering from asthma and bronchitis often complain about a lack of oxygen. The list of diseases similar to VSD also includes problems of the cardiovascular, endocrine, and digestive systems.

Because of this, it is difficult to establish that the cause of poor health is vegetative-vascular dystonia. To exclude the presence of a serious pathology manifested by a feeling of shortness of breath, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination, including consultations:

Only by excluding life-threatening pathological conditions is it possible to establish that the true cause of lack of air is vegetative dystonia.

However, patients who have become accustomed to the idea of having a “serious illness” do not always agree with the objective results of the examination. They refuse to understand and accept the idea that despite shortness of breath, they are physically practically healthy. After all, the lack of air that occurs as a result of VSD is safe.

How to restore breathing - emergency help

If symptoms of hyperventilation appear, in addition to breathing into a paper or plastic bag, another method will help.

To calm shortness of breath, tightly clasp your chest (lower part) with your palms, placing your hands in front and behind.
Apply pressure to your ribs to bring them closer to your spine.
Keep your chest compressed for 3 minutes.

Performing special exercises is a mandatory part of therapy for shortness of breath. It implies inclusion, a gradual transition to breathing through the diaphragm instead of the usual chest. These exercises normalize blood gases and reduce hyperoxia caused by a panic attack.

It is believed that diaphragmatic inhalation is done unconsciously; air flows easily when a person experiences positive emotions. Chest - on the contrary, is accompanied by a lack of air during stress.

It is important to maintain the correct ratio between the duration of inhalation and exhalation (1:2), while managing to relax the muscles of the body. Negative emotions shorten exhalation, the ratio of diaphragm movements becomes 1:1.

A rare deep breath is preferable to a frequent shallow one. It helps avoid hyperventilation. When exercising to relieve shortness of breath, observe the following conditions:

The room must first be ventilated, the air temperature should be degrees.
Play soft, calm music or do exercises in silence.
Let your clothes be loose and comfortable for doing exercises.
Conduct classes according to a clear schedule (morning, evening).
Train 2 hours after eating.
Visit the toilet in advance, emptying your intestines and bladder.
Before performing the health complex, you are allowed to drink a glass of water.

After prolonged exposure to the sun, as well as being in a state of extreme fatigue, you should refrain from gymnastics. You can start it no earlier than 8 hours later.

It is prohibited to perform exercises if you have serious health problems affecting:

heart, blood vessels (cerebral atherosclerosis, severe arterial hypertension);
lungs;
hematopoietic organs.

Women should not use this method during menstruation, pregnancy, or glaucoma.

How to learn to breathe correctly

When starting to perform breathing exercises to eliminate lack of air, focus on how you feel. Monitor your heart rate closely. Sometimes nasal congestion occurs, yawning and dizziness begin. There is no need to be afraid, the body gradually adapts.

Difficulty breathing during VSD can be corrected with a simple exercise:

Lie on your back after darkening the room.
Closing your eyes, try to relax your torso muscles for 5 minutes.
Using self-hypnosis, evoke a feeling of warmth spreading throughout the body.
Take a slow, deep breath, pushing out your abdominal wall. In this case, air fills the lower lobe of the lungs, and the chest expands with a delay.
The inhalation is longer than the exhalation, the air is pushed out by the stomach (with the participation of the abdominal muscles), and then by the chest. The air comes out smoothly, without jerking.

An alternative option is to use a Frolov simulator, which is a plastic glass (filled with water) with a tube through which you inhale and exhale. This normalizes the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide and stops an attack of VSD, manifested by an acute lack of air. The main purpose of the simulator is to saturate the inhaled air with carbon dioxide and reduce the amount of oxygen in it. This gradually leads to an increase in human adaptive capabilities.

Treatment of VSD, accompanied by attacks of lack of air, is ineffective if you do not know the true cause of the problem.

Only an experienced psychotherapist can help you find out what psychotraumatic factor causes an attack. The doctor will explain how to get rid of such a legacy and not give in to panic, which causes a problem with air supply. It’s better to calm down right away, because with VSD, choking can be cured without medications, but only with the participation of the patient.

A person can be as fearless as he likes, but the feeling of lack of air will cause panic in any daredevil. After all, this is a direct threat to our lives, and nature made sure that we felt the danger and tried with all our might to avoid it. However, a lack of oxygen is not always the case. Perhaps the brain is just experiencing an illusion and sending false signals to the body. But why does it seem to us that there is not enough air, or have we forgotten how to breathe correctly?

Fear of death is the king of the whole problem

Very often, nervous people - VSDs, neurotics, panickers - have the feeling that it is difficult to take a full breath. And, of course, the first thing that comes to mind is the organic causes of the symptom. Hypochondriacs immediately begin to consider themselves asthmatics or cancer patients. The fear of possible death from suffocation becomes so strong that a person is no longer aware of it.

Typical manifestations of respiratory problems in a person with a nervous disorder:

It is worth noting that fear only intensifies the symptoms, driving the patient into a vicious circle. Sometimes the condition can haunt a person for months, driving him into depression and turning him into a constant homebody whom no one wants to understand.

How can you help yourself learn to breathe again?

Having read medical sites about severe pulmonary pathologies, the patient finds it difficult to think adequately. But if you understand that the main cause of respiratory disorders is stress, then you can quickly eliminate the symptom. There are usually only two main problems here.

Problem	What's happening?	How can we help?
Hyperventilation of the lungs	A scheme familiar to all VSDs and alarmists is triggered: a surge of adrenaline - increased panic - a set of most unpleasant sensations. But not all nervous people realize that in moments of stress it is difficult for them to take a full breath, not because everything is tight in their chest, or their lungs refuse to work, but because there is more than enough oxygen inside. The rapid, shallow breathing that occurs during panic disrupts the correct proportion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. And, trying to swallow even more air, a person may simply lose consciousness - as a result of which, by the way, he will not die at all, but will restore respiratory function and throw out “extra” oxygen.	These simple exercises have saved many VSD sufferers who are in a panic attack: Fold your lips into a thin tube and place your palm on your stomach. Inhale slowly, counting to 10, and exhale just as slowly. Perform for 3-5 minutes. Take a paper bag (or simply cup your palms) and breathe inside this container. It may seem like there is not enough air, but this is normal. This is how your oxygen-carbon dioxide proportion will be restored.
Respiratory neurosis	People with nervous disorders tend to obsess over their symptoms. So, if hyperventilation happened for the first time, or was brighter than previous ones, a person may be so frightened by it that he becomes fixated. He will constantly begin to test himself for “correct breathing”, try to check whether it is difficult to take a deep breath or not, whether anything is interfering with the process. Therefore, respiratory neurosis can be called a kind of “complication” of hyperventilation or a panic attack. In a neurotic person, the subconscious will note any changes in breathing, take the imaginary for reality, leading the person to depression.	It all depends on how ready you are to change your attitude towards the problem. You need to understand: you will not die from lack of air. Even if you overinhale and lose consciousness, when you come to your senses, you will already receive restored breathing. It is a pity that not all patients have enough willpower to begin to change their thoughts. Then a psychotherapist will come to the rescue. In some cases, conversations alone are not enough, and medications are involved. Because neuroses are not a simple thing at all, and often the patient is not able to cope with them on his own.

Breathing problems are psychologically difficult. Everything that the human brain automatically perceives as a threat to life is experienced especially painfully, first of all, from the moral side. But the only advantage of nervous breathing difficulties is that they will never lead to death, because their cause is not organic. And this small, but such an important plus can adjust your mind to an adequate perception of the situation and help solve the problem.

Causes of difficulty breathing in osteochondrosis

Pinching of blood vessels located in the cervical and thoracic spine is one of the reasons for the development of true pathologies of the heart and lungs, memory problems, and death of brain cells. Therefore, if you experience breathing difficulties, do not hesitate to visit a doctor.

Features of the manifestation of osteochondrosis

In addition to respiratory disorders, with osteochondrosis the following appear:

pain between the shoulder blades;
cardiopalmus;
stiffness in hand movements;
(most often in the occipital region);
numbness, stiffness of the neck;
dizziness, fainting;
tremor of the upper extremities;
blueness of fingertips.

Cause of difficulty breathing		Signs not typical for cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis
Lung diseases	Bronchitis, pneumonia	Sputum with blood or pus, excessive sweating, high temperature (not always), wheezing, whistling in the lungs
Lung diseases	Tuberculosis	Hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, weight loss, low-grade fever, increased fatigue in the afternoon
Pathologies of the cardiovascular system	Angina pectoris	Pale face, cold sweat. Breathing is restored after rest and taking heart medications
Pathologies of the cardiovascular system	Pulmonary embolism	Fall in blood pressure, bluish skin of parts of the body located above the waist, increased body temperature
Malignant formations in the chest organs	Tumor of the lung or bronchi, pleura, myxedema of the heart muscle	Sudden weight loss, high fever, enlarged axillary lymph nodes

It’s difficult to understand on your own why you can’t take a deep breath. But at home you can do the following:

take a sitting position, hold your breath for 40 seconds;
try to blow out the candle at a distance of 80 cm.

If the tests fail, this indicates a problem with the respiratory system. To make an accurate diagnosis, you must consult a doctor.

Difficulty breathing during sleep can cause suffocation. Therefore, when shortness of breath or a feeling of insufficient inhalation occurs, it is important to identify the cause of this phenomenon as soon as possible and begin treatment.

Breathing problems: diagnosis, treatment

Only a doctor can find out why it is difficult to take a full breath after the patient has undergone a comprehensive examination. It includes:

Chest examination. Prescribed:

Ultrasound of the heart;
electromyography;
fluorography of the lungs.

Spine diagnostics. It includes:

radiography;
contrasting discography;
myelography;
computer or magnetic resonance imaging.

During drug therapy the following is prescribed:

Painkillers and vasodilators. The principle of their operation:

accelerate the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and tissues of the affected spine;
reduce vascular spasms and pain;
improve metabolism.

Chondroprotectors– accepted in order to:

restore the elasticity of intervertebral discs;
prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Effect of use:

pain decreases;
inflammation and swelling of tissues in the place of compression of blood vessels and spinal cord roots disappears;

Muscle relaxants– help:

relieve muscle tension;
restore motor function of the spine.

An integral part of complex treatment of the spine is the use of auxiliary treatment procedures. The main goals of such therapy:

reduce the severity of pain;
strengthen the muscle corset;
eliminate breathing problems;
stimulate metabolic processes in affected tissues;
prevent exacerbation of pain.

Non-drug treatment of osteochondrosis includes:

acupuncture – improves blood flow, blocks pathological impulses of the peripheral nervous system;
electrophoresis - relaxes muscles, dilates blood vessels, has a calming effect;
magnetotherapy. It helps improve cerebral circulation, saturate the myocardium with oxygen (the activity of the chest organs is normalized, shortness of breath disappears);
Exercise therapy and breathing exercises. The effect of the exercises: the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are strengthened;
massage – accelerates the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and chest organs, relaxes muscles, and normalizes metabolism.

Constant lack of air with osteochondrosis can lead to the development of bronchial asthma and inflammation of the heart muscle. In severe cases, pathology of the cervical or thoracic spine causes complete loss of respiratory functions, disability and even death. Therefore, after confirming the diagnosis, you must immediately begin taking therapeutic measures.

To prevent the occurrence of shortness of breath in osteochondrosis and exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended:

Exercise regularly.
Be in the fresh air as often as possible: this will reduce the likelihood of hypoxia.
Eat properly.
Quit smoking and minimize alcohol consumption.
Watch your posture.
Running, swimming, roller skating and skiing.
Do inhalations with essential oils and citrus fruits (if you are not allergic to fruits).
Have a full rest.
Change the soft bed to an orthopedic one.
Avoid excessive stress on the spine.
Strengthen the immune system with folk remedies or medications (as recommended by a doctor).

If breathing becomes difficult, the problem may be due to disruptions in nerve regulation, muscle and bone injuries, or other abnormalities. This is the most common symptom of panic attacks and vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Why is it hard to breathe - the body’s reaction

Types of shortness of breath and other data on the disease

Dyspnea or non-medical language– shortness of breath is a disease that is accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. In the case of heart problems, the appearance of shortness of breath begins during physical exertion in the early stages, and if the situation gradually worsens without treatment, even in a relative state of rest.

This is especially evident in a horizontal position, which forces the patient to constantly sit.

	Mechanical blockage	Anemia	Ischemic disease	Traumatic brain injury
Character of shortness of breath	Mixed	Mixed	It’s hard to breathe, breathing with bubbling sounds	Mixed, arrhythmic breathing
When does it occur	When a foreign body blockage occurs	Some time after the start of observation	Most often at night	After some time has passed since the injury
Duration, course	Immediate sudden onset of shortness of breath	Gradual long-term progression	In the form of attacks lasting from a couple of minutes to several hours	Depending on the degree of brain damage
Appearance	Depending on the severity of breathing difficulty	Pale skin, cracked corners of the mouth, brittle hair and nails, dry skin	Bluish hands and feet, cold to the touch, possible swelling in the abdomen, legs, swelling of the veins of the neck	Convulsions and paralysis are possible
Position	Any	Any	Half-sitting or with legs down	Any
Sputum	Absent	Absent	Heavy phlegm	Absent
Associated conditions	In cases where the foreign body has been present for more than a day, inflammation may begin.	Difficulty swallowing dry food, constipation	Heart diseases	Trauma and loss of consciousness
Age	Most often children's	Any	Elderly and middle	Most often middle and young

Difficulty or rapid breathing

Depending on the frequency of respiratory contractions, there may be 2 types of shortness of breath:

The main criterion that shortness of breath is pathological is that it occurs under normal conditions and light loads, when it was previously absent.

Physiology of the respiratory process and why there may be problems

The value of surfactant is very significant - with its help, the spread of air through the alveolar membrane is accelerated 50-100 times. That is, we can say that we can breathe thanks to surfactant.

The less surfactant, the more difficult it will be for the body to ensure normal respiratory processes.

Possible causes of the disease

How to avoid problems with surfactant

Unsaturated fats are healthy and are found in fish, nuts, olive and vegetable oils. Among plant products, avocado is an excellent product in this regard.

How to take care of your lungs and alveoli

Since we breathe through the lungs through the mouth, and oxygen enters the body only through the alveolar link, if you have breathing problems, you need to take care of the health of the respiratory system. You may also have to pay special attention to the heart, since if there is a lack of oxygen, various problems may begin with it that require prompt treatment.

The feeling of difficulty breathing is a frequent accompaniment of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Why do people with VSD sometimes cannot take a full breath? One common cause is hyperventilation syndrome.

This problem is not related to the lungs, heart or bronchi.

Body condition	Breathing type	Ventilation level	Percentage of CO2 in alveoli	Control pause	Maximum pause	Pulse
Super Endurance	Superficial	5	7.5	180	210	48
Super Endurance	Superficial	4	7.4	150	190	50
Super Endurance	Superficial	3	7.3	120	170	52
Super Endurance	Superficial	2	7.1	100	150	55
Super Endurance	Superficial	1	6.8	80	120	57
Normal	Normal		6.5	60	90	68
Disease	Glubokoe	1	6	50	75	65
Disease	Glubokoe	2	5.5	30	60	70
Disease	Glubokoe	3	5	40	50	75
Disease	Glubokoe	4	4.5	20	40	80
Disease	Glubokoe	5	4	10	20	90
Disease	Glubokoe	6	3.5	5	10	100
Disease	Glubokoe	7	3	Death	Death	Death

When there is not enough oxygen, the cause may well be disorders of the autonomic nervous system. Breathing is a process associated with the somatic nervous system. In this case, if it is difficult to inhale oxygen, we can talk about neuroses and psychological root causes.

In itself, difficulty in breathing caused by unpleasant impressions, stress and other nervous factors is not such a dangerous factor, but the risk lies in making an incorrect diagnosis with similar symptoms and prescribing incorrect treatment.

Prevention of shortness of breath and shortness of breath

If it sometimes becomes difficult to breathe and lead an active lifestyle, perhaps the reason is not a disease, but poor physical shape. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is start regularly doing active aerobic exercises, walking or running more, and going to the gym.

It is very important to monitor your diet, eat the right foods, do not overeat, but also do not skip meals. You need to get enough sleep at night. Giving up bad habits is the most important step towards good health.

Since feelings of fear or anger cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest and increase the production of adrenaline, you should try to avoid serious experiences. If you have severe panic attacks, you should definitely consult a doctor. The appearance of severe shortness of breath during stress can also be an indicator of the presence of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Thus, in order to avoid health problems and difficulty breathing, you need to monitor your diet (eat enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins for your age and weight), and lead a healthy lifestyle. If you have persistent unpleasant symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, as more serious diseases may be present, accompanied by difficulty breathing.

When a person breathes easily, he probably does not notice this process. And this is considered normal, since breathing is a reflex act controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Nature came up with this on purpose, since a person in this state is able to breathe even while in an unconscious state.

Sometimes this opportunity saves people's lives when their health is threatened. However, if there is not enough air when breathing or even the slightest problem occurs with the respiratory function, the person will notice it immediately.

Sometimes constant yawning and lack of air appear in people due to physiological reasons, which can be easily eliminated. However, if the patient often wants to yawn and take deep breaths of air, this indicates the course of a serious illness.

It is worth noting that the feeling of lack of oxygen in the lungs can manifest itself in different ways - some experience heavy breathing, while others begin to constantly yawn, thereby inhaling full lungs.

If the patient does not undergo prompt treatment, he may develop shortness of breath, which will be observed even with minimal stress on the body. In this case, it will be difficult for a person to breathe and take a full, deep breath. This requires an immediate visit to the doctor, as otherwise there is a risk of oxygen deprivation.

The patient will need urgent doctor's help if he notices the following symptoms accompanying breathing difficulties:

constant yawning;
inability to fully breathe air into the lungs;
pain in and behind the sternum;
swelling in the limbs and convulsions that attack the patient at night;
change in skin color to bluish, which indicates a lack of oxygen;
it is difficult and difficult for the patient to breathe after carrying out minimal stress on the body;
nausea, which may be accompanied by dizziness;
long and frequent cough;
increase in temperature;
the patient has a feeling of fear, which is why he often has to take sedatives (some prefer to drink alcohol to calm down).

As a rule, such symptoms indicate the course of severe pathologies, which need to be identified and cured in a short time.

Causes

Doctors divide all the reasons that cause breathing problems in a person into 3 large groups. However, each of them can be closely intertwined with the other, since all processes occurring in the body are interconnected.

Physiological

This type of cause of deterioration in breathing is considered the most harmless. They can cause deterioration in breathing due to the following factors:

Insufficient oxygen. If a person is in a place where there is little air, for example, in the mountains, this can cause breathing difficulties due to the fact that the person will not have enough oxygen. Therefore, if you are in an area that is much higher than sea level, this phenomenon will most likely overtake you.
Stuffiness in the room. Due to this reason, there may be either a lack of fresh air due to crowds or excess levels of carbon dioxide. Therefore, a small room needs to be ventilated frequently.
Tight or uncomfortable clothing. Many people don’t even think about the fact that tight clothes can harm their health, so they sacrifice it for the sake of fashion and beauty. As a result, a woman or man experiences a significant lack of oxygen, which disrupts the normal functioning of the body. There is no need to see a doctor, since after changing clothes, the patient will again feel a normal flow of oxygen and will be able to breathe enough.
The person is in poor physical shape. If people are sedentary and like to drink alcohol, this negatively affects respiratory function. Any tension in the body causes serious breathing difficulties, as a result of which the patient is often tormented by yawning. Often this cause of insufficient air is observed in people who have lain in bed for a long time while undergoing treatment.
Excess body weight. If a child or adult is overweight, they will also have difficulty breathing. However, this is not the worst thing - with excess weight, heart disease and stroke often develop, the severity of which depends on the number of extra pounds compared to normal weight.

Sometimes people find it difficult to breathe in the heat, especially if the body is severely dehydrated. In this case, the blood becomes thicker, making it more difficult for the heart to push it through the vessels. This causes serious deterioration in breathing, which can be cured on your own.

Medical

Yawning, shortness of breath and lack of air appear due to the course of serious illnesses. Moreover, these symptoms allow a person to identify the disease at the initial stage of development.

Often, symptoms of lack of air attack a person during the development of the following diseases:

VSD. This disease develops as a result of severe nervous exhaustion. A person often feels fear, panic attack and other unpleasant symptoms. In order to notice the development of a dangerous disease in time, you need to pay attention to its first signs, including constant yawning and heaviness when inhaling.
Anemia. This disease is characterized by a lack of iron in the body, with the help of which oxygen is transported through organs and systems. The disease can be detected by deteriorating breathing quality.
Diseases of the lungs or bronchi. Pneumonia, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, pleurisy, asthma, and so on can cause a feeling of lack of air. In some cases, the patient may also be bothered by belching, for example, during sputum separation.
Respiratory diseases occurring in acute or chronic form. As a result of the drying out of the mucous membrane of the nose and larynx, many people are unable to breathe normally. In addition, some people notice increased breathing, which allows a small amount of oxygen to enter the lungs.
Heart diseases. These include ischemia, cardiac asthma, heart failure, and so on. Improper functioning of the heart causes breathing difficulties. If this is accompanied by discomfort and chest pain, you should definitely consult a doctor.

These diseases pose a significant threat to the patient’s health, so they should not be neglected.

Psychogenic

We should not forget about stress, which often causes the development of health-threatening diseases.

Yawning during stress (for example, neuralgia) in a patient is considered an unconditioned reflex, which is inherent in a person by nature. Therefore, if people are often nervous, this will cause yawning, and, as a rule, a lack of oxygen.

During stress, capillaries spasm, which causes the heart to work excessively. This causes an increase in pressure. In order not to harm the brain, a person begins to yawn frequently, while inhaling air deeply.

Also, lack of air occurs with muscle spasms, which makes it difficult for the patient to make a deep entrance.

What to do in case of lack of oxygen

What to do if a person’s breathing suddenly stops or worsens? Judging by the reviews of doctors, the first thing you need to do is calm down and stop panicking. First, the patient needs to go outside or open a window to provide fresh air.

You should also loosen clothing as much as possible, which interferes with the normal penetration of air into the lungs. To prevent dizziness from lack of oxygen, it is recommended to sit or lie down.

You also need to breathe correctly - inhale quickly through your nose and slowly through your mouth. After 3-5 such entries, the patient’s condition usually improves. If this does not happen, you need to urgently call a doctor.

Attention! It is prohibited to take pills on your own without a doctor’s indication, since they are allowed to be taken only after assessing your health condition and identifying the type of disease.