Chest pain, dizziness, cough, wheezing, lips turning blue, trouble breathing when your sleeping or lying down and swelling in your feet and ankles may all signal a bigger problem. Breathing difficulty that comes on suddenly is persistent or interferes with your daily activities should also be noted.
If someone is having breathing difficulty, call 911 or your local emergency number right away, then: Check the person's airway, breathing, and pulse. If necessary, begin CPR. Loosen any tight clothing.
If they are unresponsive and not breathing, push firmly downwards in the middle of their chest at a regular rate. Ideally, you should alternate two rescue breaths with 30 chest compressions for anyone who has been rescued from drowning. This will help build up a supply of oxygen in their blood.
Key Facts. If your breathing has become labored and difficult for no obvious reason, it may be the sign of a more serious medical problem. If chest pain or pressure, fainting or nausea accompanies shortness of breath, you should treat it as a medical emergency.
A breathing emergency (considered to be a medical emergency) is any respiratory problem that can threaten a person's life. It can range from not being able to take a breath to not being able to breathe at all.
Importantly, if shortness of breath is moderate to severe and occurs suddenly — and especially if it's accompanied by chest pain, lightheadedness and changes to the color of your skin — it's become a medical emergency that warrants a call to 911.
Signs and Symptoms
Increased breathing rate - Count the number of breaths for one minute. Is your child breathing faster than usual? Retractions - Check to see if the chest pulls in with each breath, especially around the collarbone and around the ribs. Nasal flaring - Check to see if nostrils widen when breathing in.
A bluish color seen around the mouth, on the inside of the lips, or on the fingernails may occur when a person is not getting as much oxygen as needed. The color of the skin may also appear pale or gray. Grunting. A grunting sound can be heard each time the person exhales.
Seek emergency medical care if your shortness of breath is accompanied by chest pain, fainting, nausea, a bluish tinge to lips or nails, or a change in mental alertness — as these may be signs of a heart attack or pulmonary embolism.
Difficulty breathing is one of the top reasons people go to the emergency room. Shortness of breath is a red-alert symptom. If you experience shortness of breath that is so severe that it interferes with activities of daily living or function, call 911 for an ambulance or have someone drive you to the ER immediately.
There are two types of breathing (also referred to as respiratory) emergencies: respiratory distress, a condition in which breathing becomes difficult, and respiratory arrest, a condition in which breathing stops.
If shortness of breath happens when you're clearly not exerting yourself, when you're doing something you normally could do without feeling winded, or comes on suddenly, those are warning signs that a heart issue could potentially be to blame.
Often, the first thing a doctor, nurse, or emergency medical technician will do is give you extra oxygen (called oxygen therapy). You get it through tubes in your nose or windpipe, or through a mask placed over your nose and mouth. This helps get more oxygen into your lungs and bloodstream.
Breathlessness is a common symptom in people with a terminal illness. It can be distressing for patients, their family members and carers. Addressing fears and anxiety is an important part of managing breathlessness. There are simple measures you can do to help someone having an episode of breathlessness.
While there are many causes of shortness of breath, the most common causes are lung disease, heart disease, or deconditioning (lack of exercise, especially in people who are overweight or obese).
Experts typically recommend sleeping on the side as the best position for breathing problems like snoring and pauses in breathing caused by obstructive sleep apnea.
Agonal respirations are irregular, gasping breaths often seen during cardiac arrest. 4 In most cases, rescuers will see victims take these gasping breaths no more than 10 to 12 times per minute; that's one every five to six seconds.
Labored breathing is rarely considered "normal." While it's common to be short of breath after exercise, labored breathing often refers to a problem that is prolonged and abnormal. Reduced exercise tolerance (ability to withstand exercise) is a red flag for many chronic health conditions.