Shortness of breath

For a lay person:

Shortness of breath is the uncomfortable feeling of not getting enough air. It can come on suddenly or build up over weeks, and may happen only with effort or also at rest.

For a trained medical person:

Acute dyspnoea requires urgent assessment for pulmonary embolism, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, pneumothorax, asthma or COPD exacerbation, pneumonia and anaphylaxis. Chronic dyspnoea is chiefly cardiac, pulmonary, anaemia or deconditioning; the workup typically includes spirometry, chest X-ray, ECG and natriuretic peptides.

In Chinese medicine:

Classed as dyspnoea (喘). Maciocia separates excess types — Wind-Cold, Phlegm-Heat or Damp-Phlegm obstructing the Lung, Liver Fire invading the Lung — from deficiency types: Lung Qi or Yin Deficiency, and the Kidney failing to grasp Qi, alone or with Lung and Heart Yang Deficiency.

When to get help: Call emergency services for sudden or severe breathlessness, breathlessness at rest, chest pain, blue lips, or confusion.