Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Shortness of breath
open-in-new
<p>Shortness of breath (SOB), known as dyspnea (in <a href="/facts/AmE/sdAfgPgM">AmE</a>) or dyspnoea (in <a href="/facts/BrE/ymJR5Rnd">BrE</a>), is an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to breathe well enough. The <a href="/facts/American_Thoracic_Society/47PBehq7">American Thoracic Society</a> defines it as "a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity", and recommends evaluating dyspnea by assessing the intensity of its distinct sensations, the degree of distress and discomfort involved, and its burden or impact on the patient's <a href="/facts/Activities_of_daily_living/0AYDmmSA">activities of daily living</a>. Distinct sensations include effort/work to breathe, chest tightness or pain, and "air hunger" (the feeling of not enough oxygen). The <a href="/facts/Tripod_position/LCCsKdf7">tripod position</a> is often assumed to be a sign. </p><p>Dyspnea is a normal <a href="/facts/Symptom/BzP6MrTN">symptom</a> of heavy physical <a href="/facts/Exertion/goEFAQXC">exertion</a> but becomes <a href="/facts/Disease/55eeQlGL">pathological</a> if it occurs in unexpected situations, when resting or during light exertion. In 85% of cases it is due to <a href="/facts/Asthma/7GkJvxn3">asthma</a>, <a href="/facts/Pneumonia/Jw0KquTA">pneumonia</a>, <a href="/facts/Cardiac_ischemia/B9ern6SW">reflux/LPR, cardiac ischemia</a>, <a href="/facts/COVID-19/YsUgvsaX">COVID-19</a>, <a href="/facts/Interstitial_lung_disease/0LQEwsGc">interstitial lung disease</a>, <a href="/facts/Congestive_heart_failure/7fckX3Jm">congestive heart failure</a>, <a href="/facts/Chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease/ud3oXGCr">chronic obstructive pulmonary disease</a>, or psychogenic causes, such as <a href="/facts/Panic_disorder/jRfhx14r">panic disorder</a> and <a href="/facts/Anxiety/Geekl883">anxiety</a> (see <a href="/facts/Psychogenic_disease/vp6dKHBf">Psychogenic disease</a> and <a href="/facts/Psychogenic_pain/sRAr9hh8">Psychogenic pain</a>). The best treatment to relieve or even remove shortness of breath typically depends on the underlying cause. </p>