Few things instill fear and anxiety in people more than experiencing shortness of breath. Everybody knows that oxygen is needed to survive, and feeling short of it is understandably scary. Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is labored or difficult breathing. People describe the feeling in a variety of ways which include extreme tightening in the chest, feeling as though they are suffocating, feeling as though they can't take a deep breath, or just feeling like they simply cannot get enough air. Some people experience shortness of breath frequently throughout the day while others experience it only occasionally, perhaps for a few minutes every couple of days.Sometimes it occurs with other symptoms while other times it is the only symptom. Often, shortness of breath is a warning sign of a condition that exists in the body. Some conditions are severe enough that they warrant immediate medical attention. So it's important to understand the cause. It's variability in regards to how frequently and when it occurs can make is difficult to understand the cause, as there are many. Understanding what's causing shortness of breath will help in determining how to correct this worrisome symptom. A variety of conditions can cause shortness of breath.
