There is not enough air when lying down. Lack of air: reasons

The feeling of lack of air occurs when there is insufficient oxygen supply to the body or a decrease in its content in the blood. All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into:

Heartfelt. Occur when the functioning of the ventricles of the heart weakens.
Pulmonary. Associated with impaired gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue.
For diseases of the nervous system. Occurs with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata.
When the spinal cord is damaged, the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted.
Psychogenic origin. Occurs in patients with neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, excessive anxiety, and stress.
Hematologic. Often accompanied by anemia.
Other factors. They can occur during pregnancy, obesity, accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity, damage to the chest, penetration of air into it, accumulation of blood or effusion, and deformation of the spine.

If there is only a feeling of difficulty breathing during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical training, forced or conscious physical inactivity. This also includes shortness of breath in high mountain areas and stuffy rooms. In some cases, the cause of sudden breathing problems is injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi.

Additional symptoms that should alert you: unilateral chest pain, an acute attack of shortness of breath and pain with a decrease in blood pressure, difficulty exhaling, wheezing, high body temperature, copious sputum with pus, pink discharge, shortness of breath against a background of severe muscle weakness, dizziness.

If the cause of the attack is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or bed in a semi-sitting position, the belt should be relaxed, the collar should be unfastened and fresh air should be allowed to flow freely. You cannot take any medications on your own; you need to call an ambulance.

If the patient has been sick for a long time, then it is necessary to give proven medications and then consult a doctor again. In all doubtful cases or against the background of severe weakness, it is better to call an ambulance.

Relaxing breathing techniques help in stressful situations. For shortness of breath with cough due to colds or inflammatory diseases - hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger.

The doctor may prescribe: oxygen inhalations, antibacterial agents, drugs to dilate the bronchi and thin the sputum, chest massage, physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic exercises to improve the cleansing of the respiratory tract, and others.

Read more about the causes of shortness of breath and treatment of the condition in our article.

Read in this article

Causes of feeling short of breath

The lungs and heart are responsible for the supply of oxygen to the body; their work is controlled by the central and autonomic nervous systems. The direct delivery of this most important element of energy production is carried out by red blood cells - erythrocytes. Therefore, if there is a malfunction in any of the links in this chain, the body tries to compensate for oxygen starvation. The reaction to deepening and/or increased breathing is subjectively perceived as a feeling of lack of air.

All causes of difficulty breathing can be divided into cardiac, pulmonary, neurogenic, hematological. In addition to these main groups, there are also changes in the respiratory muscles, pathologies associated with poisoning and other, rarer factors.

Heartfelt

Circulatory failure occurs when the ventricular myocardium weakens. The outflow of blood from the lung tissue is disrupted, stagnation processes develop, and gas exchange decreases.

The appearance of shortness of breath may be the first sign of heart disease. At first it occurs during physical stress, and as it progresses, it occurs at rest. Breathing becomes frequent and shallow; in the future, coughing and night attacks of suffocation may occur.

The reasons for the gradual increase in lack of air in chronic circulatory failure are:

coronary heart disease – post-infarction cardiosclerosis;
heart defects;
, including diseases of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, menopause;
, especially during crisis flow;
heart rhythm disturbances;
use of cardiotoxic drugs (hormones, antitumor drugs, increasing blood pressure);
rheumatism;
massive administration of infusion solutions.

Scheme of development of angina pectoris

Acute heart failure with an attack of sudden lack of air can occur during chronic decompensation or can result from:

intracardiac thrombus formation;
blocking blood flow by a heart tumor;
complications of heart attack;
rupture of aortic aneurysm;
severe infections;
poisoning;
operations, injuries.

Pulmonary

Respiratory failure is associated with impaired gas exchange due to the loss of part of the functioning lung tissue. Exhalation is usually difficult - expiratory shortness of breath or appears mixed with cardiopulmonary decompensation. Uncomfortable breathing may be accompanied by:

acute pneumonia;
acute and chronic bronchitis, including bronchitis of smokers;
high pressure in the pulmonary artery system due to its blockage by blood clots (pulmonary thromboembolism) with heart defects, HIV infection, autoimmune diseases;
bronchiectasis (deformation of the bronchi);
tumor processes in the lungs;
entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract;
compaction of lung tissue (pneumosclerosis);
tuberculosis;
pleurisy;
the appearance of adhesions after suffering inflammation of the chest cavity.

Pulmonary thromboembolism

For diseases of the nervous system

Dysregulation of the lungs and heart occurs with the development of ischemia or hemorrhage in the medulla oblongata, where the respiratory and vasomotor centers are located. The feeling of lack of air also occurs with:

tumors and edema of the brain;
increased intracranial pressure;
administration of anesthesia;
carbon dioxide poisoning;
accumulation of acids in the blood during acidosis.

When the spinal cord is damaged, the innervation of the respiratory muscles is interrupted, which also causes shortness of breath. Its weakening (neuromuscular respiratory failure) occurs with injuries, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), poliomyelitis, myopathy, potassium deficiency, botulism.

A fairly common condition is a feeling of lack of air of psychogenic origin. It occurs in patients with neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, with excessive anxiety and stress. Rapid and shallow breathing (hyperventilation) during a panic attack can be especially difficult.

Hematological

Shortness of breath often accompanies anemia. A decrease in the content of hemoglobin and red blood cells causes oxygen starvation of tissues, which leads to a compensatory reaction of increased breathing. The causes of this condition may be:

deficiency of iron and vitamins in the diet;
destruction of red blood cells under the influence of toxic compounds and inflammatory, autoimmune processes;
infections;
malignant diseases of the hematopoietic organs.

Changes in blood composition also occur in diseases of the kidneys, liver, severe diabetes, poisoning with denatured alcohol, and salicylates. In such cases, acidification of the blood occurs, causing increased breathing to compensate for the disturbance.

Watch the video about feeling short of breath:

Other factors

A high position of the diaphragm reduces the amplitude of its movements and interferes with the filling of the lungs. This may occur during pregnancy, obesity, or accumulation of fluid or gases in the abdominal cavity. Shortness of breath also appears when there is damage to the chest, air penetration into it, accumulation of blood or effusion, or spinal deformation.

If other symptoms are added

If the patient only has a feeling of difficulty breathing during physical activity, then this is usually a manifestation of physical training, forced or conscious physical inactivity. Physiological reasons may also include shortness of breath in high mountain areas and stuffy rooms. When other clinical manifestations appear, a feeling of shortness of breath may be the first symptom of serious diseases.

Sudden shortness of breath

In some cases, the cause of sudden breathing problems is injury or a foreign body entering the trachea or bronchi. In other, less obvious situations, you need to pay attention to additional symptoms:

Cough

Depending on the frequency of the cough reflex and difficulty breathing, the presence of diseases can be assumed:

permanent - occurs with chronic inflammation of the pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi, as well as stagnation of blood in the lungs with heart failure. When inhaling dusty air, infections, changes in temperature and humidity, symptoms intensify;
occur periodically - smoking, alcoholism, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchial asthma, acute colds;
single attacks of severe coughing and breathing problems - smoke inhalation, penetration of a foreign body into the bronchi, allergies.

Chest pain and fear

The appearance of shortness of breath, a feeling of compression of the chest, and sometimes the neck may be the first or even the only signs of unstable angina or myocardial infarction. In more typical cases, they are combined with attacks of substernal pain, which radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, and lower jaw. Often, when a heart attack occurs, patients feel anxiety, agitation, and fear of death.

Dizziness

Shortness of breath with general weakness and dizziness, pale skin occurs with low blood pressure and anemia. Similar symptoms may accompany the following diseases:

bradycardia;
reduced myocardial conductivity;
sick sinus syndrome;
narrowing of the pulmonary artery, aorta;
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
heart failure;
cerebrovascular accident;
vascular collapse;
state of shock due to an attack of pain, rhythm disturbances

Heartbeat

The classic manifestations of heart failure are shortness of breath and tachycardia. They are diagnosed at all stages of this complication of heart disease. Initially, they appear during physical stress, which exceeds the individual reserves of compensation, and then during the patient’s normal activity, with a further increase - at rest.

Accompanied by the appearance of cyanosis, cough, swelling in the legs, enlarged liver, and congestive processes in the internal organs.

Feeling of lack of air in the throat

Shortness of breath during physical activity or at rest, which becomes stronger with excitement and stress, a feeling of a lump in the throat can be signs of neurosis, a disruption of the autonomic nervous system. Patients do not tolerate stuffiness well, ventilate the room all the time, and complain of dissatisfaction with breathing. Sometimes a cough or sore throat may occur.

These symptoms are based on spastic processes in the muscles and excessive fixation on one’s sensations. A characteristic feature that distinguishes lack of air in neurotic disorders is the abundance of symptoms. Patients colorfully describe their complaints against the background of a generally satisfactory condition.

Watch the video about lack of air (hyperventilation syndrome):

Causes of suffocation at night

In severe cases of heart failure, attacks of suffocation occur when lying down, especially at night. They develop due to excessive blood flow to the chest cavity. This increases the filling of the venous and capillary vessels, which reduces the capacity of the lung tissue. An additional factor leading to congestion of the vascular system is the redistribution of edema in a horizontal position.

Sudden shortness of breath causes sudden awakening and the need to sit up to ease breathing. Night attacks can also occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, bronchial asthma, pericardial effusion or paralysis of the diaphragmatic muscle.

How to help yourself if it suddenly arises

If the cause of the attack of shortness of breath is unknown, then the patient must be seated in a chair or given a semi-sitting position in bed using high pillows. You should loosen your belt, unfasten your collar and ensure a free flow of fresh air. You should immediately seek medical help. Self-administration of medications in this case may aggravate circulatory or respiratory problems.

If the patient has been ill for a long time and knows the signs of exacerbation, then it is possible to use the usual dosage of medications that are prescribed to him and consult a doctor if the condition improves. In all doubtful cases or against the background of severe weakness, it is better to play it safe by calling an ambulance.

In stressful situations or excessive physical stress, the relaxation breathing technique helps. To do this, you need to lie on your back and put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Breathing is done only through the nose and using the abdominal muscles. As you inhale, the anterior abdominal wall rises, and as you exhale, it descends. The exhalation should be 3-4 counts longer than the inhalation. After each inhalation and exhalation, a short pause is needed (for 1-3 counts).

Watch the video about relaxation breathing techniques:

For shortness of breath with cough due to colds or inflammatory diseases, drinking hot tea with a teaspoon of fresh ginger helps. It is pre-ground on the finest grater and the drink is infused for 7-10 minutes.

Treatment of shortness of breath

When respiratory failure develops, therapy is carried out for the underlying disease (pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchial asthma, chronic inflammatory processes in the bronchi). Patients are prescribed:

oxygen inhalations;
antibacterial agents;
drugs for dilating bronchi and thinning sputum;
chest massage;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
therapeutic exercises to improve the cleansing of the respiratory tract.

Oxygen inhalations

In the treatment of heart failure, efforts are aimed at improving myocardial contractile function. Gentle or bed rest, complete physical and mental rest are recommended. Table salt and liquid are limited in the diet. For therapy use: ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta blockers, nitrates, oxygen inhalations. Patients are shown thinning the blood with the help of anticoagulants and drugs that improve metabolism in the heart muscle.

For vegetative-vascular dystonia, neurosis, panic attacks, restful medications and non-drug methods are recommended - water procedures, reflexology, massage, electrosleep, breathing and therapeutic exercises.

A feeling of lack of air can occur against the background of diseases of the heart, lungs, nervous system, blood and disruption of the respiratory muscles. In order to establish the cause of shortness of breath, its duration, rate of development of symptoms, connection with previous diseases, and combinations of clinical manifestations are analyzed. With an unknown diagnosis, sudden difficulty breathing against the background of a significant deterioration in health requires medical attention.

Symptoms of difficulty breathing

The feeling of having difficulty breathing and not having enough air is often not an independent symptom. It may be accompanied by additional phenomena that cannot be kept silent when contacting a specialist:

Cough, incl. seizures;
Wave-like headaches;
Pain in the chest, stomach, lower abdomen;
Numbness of the limbs;
Dyspnea.

Depending on the combination with which symptoms of difficulty breathing and lack of air, a preliminary diagnosis is made. In this case, it is important to take into account the time during which you have difficulty breathing and lack of air, the pattern of occurrence of the problem (if any), the nature of your breathing and the frequency of occurrence of the phenomenon.

Don’t forget about external factors that can provoke situations where it’s difficult to breathe.

Difficulty breathing when playing sports

Sometimes situations arise in which a novice athlete has difficulty breathing and does not have enough air when playing sports. The reason for this in 99% of cases is the discrepancy between the weight category and intensity of training. If you are significantly overweight, you should not choose too intense workouts for yourself: this may not only be ineffective, but also dangerous.

In order to recover from an unpleasant symptom, you should pay significant attention to diet and balance the level of physical activity. When you manage to partially get rid of excess weight, the load can be increased. It is best to develop an individual sports plan with a personal trainer. If getting rid of excess weight didn’t help you either and you still find it hard to breathe and don’t have enough air during every workout, then you should contact a specialist to diagnose your body.

Not enough air: different cases

It is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air due to the influence of various external factors, which should be paid special attention to. Let's look at some of them:

During sleep. Many patients are frightened by the syndrome when, during sleep, it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air. This phenomenon occurs independently and is not accompanied by additional symptoms. More often than not, suspension of ventilation during sleep indicates VSD. In some cases, cessation of ventilation occurs for 10-20 seconds;
When I yawn. Usually in this case the patient wants to yawn, but he cannot, because there is not enough air to breathe heavily. It is also possible that the patient does not yawn completely. At the same time, I want to yawn very often. In this case, there can be a lot of diagnoses - from overwork to problems with blood vessels. If a symptom bothers you for a week or more, then you should consult a specialist;
When I eat. Most often, it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air after a meal for two reasons. Firstly, it can be overeating, and it happens from time to time. Secondly, the cause may be an unhealthy or unbalanced diet. To get rid of the problem, you need to carefully work out your diet, choose the right foods and create a diet. In this case, for the best results, you should consult a nutritionist;
In the evening. Evening and night are periods of time when VSD worsens. Therefore, if you have difficulty breathing, there is not enough air, and you have a headache, heaviness in your limbs, or numbness in your toes or hands, then you may have VSD. Try to abstract yourself as much as possible from stress and factors that irritate you and contact your treating specialist as soon as possible;
Since morning. It’s hard to breathe, there is not enough air in the morning, usually due to the feeling of dirty, heavy air. At the same time, it is difficult to both inhale and exhale. If the apartment maintains normal air humidity and the temperature fully meets the requirements of a healthy person (approximately 20 to 24 degrees Celsius), then the reason lies in the patient’s health and may be associated with various disorders. To identify them, a general blood test is usually prescribed, as well as an analysis to detect the level of IgE total;
Before menstruation. It’s hard to breathe and there’s not enough air, often as part of PMS. Usually it indicates serious excitement or anxiety in the girl, and the worries may or may not be justified. An effective solution to this problem can be the timely use of Glycine: this drug is safe, has a general strengthening effect and protects the nervous system;
After the bath. This phenomenon is often accompanied by dizziness, nausea, weakness and fatigue. There may be several reasons for this. First: out of habit, high temperatures put strong pressure on the cardiovascular system. The second reason is an unacceptably high temperature for the body. Finally, if these cases are definitely not about you, then most likely the situation due to which you have difficulty breathing and lack of air after a bath lies in health problems.

If there are no circumstances or external factors that accompany difficulty breathing, then most likely the body is trying to notify you of some disease or disorder.

Possible diagnoses

Let's consider what diseases make it difficult to breathe and lack air?

Pulmonary edema. It’s hard to breathe, there’s not enough air due to oxygen starvation of tissues and organs - hypoxia. This condition is pathological and requires prompt intervention by a specialist;
Heart defects of congenital and acquired type. They manifest themselves through heart pain and dizziness. At the same time, the patient has difficulty breathing and does not have enough air;
Blocked airways. The reasons for this can be natural and mechanical - the latter is more typical for a child than for an adult. If this problem occurs, immediate medical attention is required;
Bronchial asthma. An insidious disease in which both mild shortness of breath and serious suffocation occur; the patient has difficulty breathing and does not have enough air, and for no apparent reason. With improper treatment or its absence, the risk of death increases, therefore, after identifying the symptom, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor;
Rheumatisms. Accompanied by aching pain, concentrated in one point, and distracting attention. Having difficulty breathing and not having enough air is only a side effect;
Hypertension. Moreover, when blood pressure normalizes, breathing is restored;
Angina pectoris. The pain is concentrated in the central part of the chest, complicates the heartbeat, and the patient has difficulty breathing and does not have enough air. Most often found in people of middle or older age;
Allergy. Some allergic reactions (especially seasonal ones) cause bouts of sneezing and coughing, which increase the sensation of difficulty breathing.
Oncology of the lungs or bronchi. Most often it occurs in experienced smokers, as well as people with a hereditary predisposition. Accompanied by a sharp weight loss, hemoptysis, weakness;
Emphysema. With it, the patient complains that he has difficulty breathing and does not have enough air, even in a calm state. The disease is expressed in the appearance of bubbles in the structure of the bronchi: over time, these bubbles burst, forming cavities. These cavities become the basis for which there is not enough air to breathe;
The reasons are psychosomatic. Severe stress or upset is especially dangerous for sensitive people and can cause breathing problems;
Coronary heart disease. If you have difficulty breathing, there is not enough air, you feel pain in the chest, rapid heartbeat, and increased sweating. These symptoms can appear even in a calm state;
Lesions of the lungs or bronchi of an infectious nature. Accompanied by types of intoxication of the body - headache, fever, weakness and fever.

Above is a list of the most common diagnoses for which it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air: in reality, there are much more of them.

Only a specialist doctor can make a diagnosis after conducting a thorough diagnosis and studying the tests.

Top 5 causes of bad breath

The inability to breathe air does not occur instantly: often there is not enough air to breathe due to certain diseases, pathologies, disorders and other factors that can be ranked by frequency of prevalence:

Smoking. If a person has been smoking for many years, then it is likely that he may have problems in which he cannot breathe hard and does not have enough air;
Overweight and Obesity. The main danger of excess weight is various health problems, one of which is having difficulty breathing and not having enough air;
Viral diseases. Diseases caused by a virus, in the absence of appropriate treatment, drag on for a long period of time. At the same time, gas exchange in the body becomes more difficult, due to which it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air;
Heart diseases. If treated inappropriately or if pain is ignored, heart disease has a direct effect on the arterial vessels. Affected arterial vessels provoke chest pain, rapid heartbeat and breathing problems;
Cough. There can be many reasons for coughing - bronchitis, bronchial asthma, lung problems, etc. A severe cough provokes spasms, as a result of which it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air.

It is very important not to delay visiting a specialist if an alarming symptom occurs. Remember that the longer the disease develops, the harder it will be to cure it later.

Urgent Care

If the patient feels that he is having difficulty breathing and does not have enough air, then the most important thing is not to panic and provide first aid correctly. It represents:

Providing access to fresh air. This is especially true if the attack occurs indoors, then you can open a window or, if possible, turn on a fan or air conditioner. Cool air can be created artificially using available means. This method will create a ventilation effect: psychologically the patient will feel that there is enough air, and the fear of suffocation will disappear;
Increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. Here the patient can help himself. To do this, it is necessary for him to breathe intensively into the palm of his hand or into a paper bag, if one is at hand. It is enough to continue the manipulations for 30-40 seconds;
This method relieves nervous tension, has a calming effect, and stabilizes overall respiratory function.
Breathing exercises. It is usually prescribed to a child in case of an attack, but is suitable even for an adult. For this you will need to inhale for 6 counts and exhale for 8. Repeat 3-4 times. Then you need to breathe “like a dog”, sticking out your tongue. This practice will help relieve an attack in which there is not enough air to breathe;
Calling an ambulance. After you have managed to cope with the first manifestations of the symptom, be sure to call emergency specialists, especially if you do not know why you are having difficulty breathing and lacking air.

We should not forget about individual precautions. They are acceptable if the patient knows for sure why he has difficulty breathing and lacks air. For example, allergies, bronchial asthma, heart disease, etc. As part of individual care, you should take appropriate medication, lie down and try to relax.

Preventing difficulty breathing

Ventilate the room regularly or use air conditioning to maintain optimal temperature. Normal ventilation should be carried out for 10 to 30 minutes in each room;
Use a humidifier to prevent indoor air from being difficult to breathe. An excellent alternative to this would be to dry wet clothes indoors. Place a clothesline in the room and hang wet clothes once a week: this method will help make the air more pleasant to breathe;
Be sure to carry out regular wet cleaning. To do this, just walk with a damp cloth over all surfaces in the room. The most important thing is to free large surface areas from heavy dust - after all, it often becomes the basis for the development of severe coughing attacks, allergies and other reasons for which it is difficult to breathe without enough air.

An excellent preventive measure would be regular exercise, preferably in the fresh air. It is not necessary to visit expensive sports clubs: morning exercises or a 30-minute light jog will suffice. The main thing is to do this regularly. You will soon notice positive changes in both the ease of breathing and the health of your entire body.

Vegetovascular dystonia is a complex of symptoms indicating a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Unfortunately, according to statistics, about 80% of the population of the modern world suffers from this conditional disease (conditional because the international classification does not recognize this syndrome as an independent disease). These include men and women, the elderly, children, adolescents and infants - characteristic signs of dystonia can be found in a person from the first years of life.

Introduction

As a rule, people get used to putting up with most of the symptoms and attribute them to the characteristics of the body, poor health in general. But sometimes difficulties arise that cause serious anxiety and acute attacks. To a greater extent, they are associated with problems of the heart, blood vessels and respiratory tract.

Lack of air during VSD is a common and quite typical situation. The first thing you should focus on is fixability. The fear of asphyxia and heart attack is caused more by the psychological factor of losing control over the natural processes of one's own body than by a real physical threat.

General information

The feeling of lack of air during VSD can be due to various reasons. Shortness of breath may be caused by dystonia itself, but it may simply be a contributing factor. In both cases, an accurate medical diagnosis of the cause is extremely important.

In a situation where interruptions in breathing stem from real problems and illnesses (for example, coronary heart disease or bronchial asthma), using classic psychotherapy for VSD would simply be irrational - no more reasonable than applying plantain where plaster is required.

The opposite situation is also unsafe - when the symptoms are confused by the initial self-diagnosis, difficulty breathing is a consequence of autonomic disorders due to developing neurosis, and the patient is diligently treating fictitious asthmatic complications... Advanced VSD also leads to more serious complications than compression in the chest and difficulty breathing under stress.

Why suffocation causes fear

Even in the initial stages of VSD development, when crises are not so acute and other symptoms of the disease are not pronounced, breathing difficulties can frighten the patient. Accompanied by sudden sharp pain in the sternum, they resemble signs of heart failure. Occurring unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, in a state of anxiety or emotional fluctuations, the slightest changes in breathing can lead to panic attacks. Fear of suffocation blocks adequate perception of reality and leads to the development of real phobias.

Most often, in the presence of dystonia (one of its types), the patient is diagnosed with hyperventilation syndrome. But this is not the only form that a violation of oxygen metabolism in the body takes on with autonomic disorders of the nervous system.

I forgot how to breathe

An absurd but frequent recognition of people suffering from apnea (short-term involuntary cessation of breathing). This happens to many people in their sleep: a person wakes up with the feeling that the lungs have stopped working, and oxygen has not entered the body for a long time.

Shortness of breath during VSD is associated with fear and exaggeration of the catastrophic nature of the situation: the person sits up abruptly in bed, begins to breathe shallowly and rapidly. The pressure rises, the heart beats faster, trying to quickly fill the lack of oxygen in cells and tissues. Interruptions in pressure do not relieve difficulty breathing. On the contrary, dizziness, darkening of the eyes, and a feeling of hopelessness are added to them.

All of the above fits perfectly into the classification of both panic attacks and classic apnea. But why does the patient lose his breath at a time when the body should be as relaxed as possible?

Is it possible to “forget” how to breathe?

The fact is that both the somatic and autonomic nervous systems are responsible for the regulation of respiratory processes. In other words, it happens both consciously and uncontrollably. We can, of our own free will, hold our breath, make inhalations and exhalations deeper or shallower, and regulate the muscular movement of the chest, thus influencing the process of gas exchange. But when we are distracted, focused on extraneous tasks, in deep sleep or in a stressful situation, unable to pay attention to the breathing process, it is the autonomic nervous system that controls the depth and frequency of breaths, heart rate and other related factors.

When the autonomic system begins to malfunction and not function as it should (vegetative dysfunction), everything that was previously controlled by it also goes into discord. The body's reactions cease to correspond to external stimuli, tachycardia and panic occur without actual danger, shortness of breath - without physical exertion, eating disorders and allergies - without real poisoning and allergens, and so on.

Symptoms

Shortness of breath caused by VSD manifests itself in different ways. Patients complain about:

Heaviness in the sternum, a feeling of constriction in the chest.
Sharp stabbing pain when inhaling.
Heavy breathing and shortness of breath that occurs during light exertion, when singing or talking, or during emotional experiences.
Feeling of lack of oxygen when breathing.
It is difficult to inhale and exhale; the process of breathing itself seems like an effort that causes shortness of breath.
Waking up from deep sleep with the feeling that breathing has stopped.

The last point causes particular concern for those suffering from dystonia, and after it - possible insomnia.

Dream

Why do night attacks frighten patients so much? The formulation “I forget to breathe in my sleep” is illogical, as we have already discussed, primarily because memory is not involved in the breathing process while the brain is immersed in the sleepy phase.

What really happens to those who say, “I feel suffocated at night”? In medical terms, their body experiences apnea - cessation of pulmonary ventilation due to weakening of the muscle tone and soft tissues of the throat. When falling asleep, the muscles seem to “sag,” blocking the airways. Classic apnea lasts up to 10 seconds, hypopnea takes 10 seconds or longer. This time is enough to awaken the brain and send an SOS signal about the problem.

“I wake up because I can’t breathe” is a reason for an examination, but in no case for momentary panic. By getting out of a lying position and consciously doing a series of breathing exercises, you can bring the nighttime incident under control and prevent a panic attack.

Hangover

A healthy lifestyle as the main cure for VSD automatically includes giving up alcohol. After drinking alcohol, it is doubly difficult for the body to cope with autonomic dysfunction - the need to remove toxins from the blood, an imbalance in sugar and hemoglobin levels also affects the amount of oxygen supplied with blood flow to the lungs.

Why is it hard to breathe when you have a hangover? Yes, at least from the fact that the illusory feeling that during VSD there is not enough air, actually means an insufficient number of oxygen molecules entering the cells of the tissues of the internal organs.

Shortness of breath is provoked by any strong stress on the body, and the state of alcohol intoxication is quite one of them.

Yawn

The feeling of lack of oxygen (not air in general, but an element in the body) is not always caused by physical exertion or physical breathing disorders.

Sometimes patients complain that they constantly yawn without an objective reason (lack of sleep, etc.). Yawning is also an indicator of oxygen deficiency in the body and manifests itself as a reflex.

The common belief that yawning is “contagious” is associated with the phenomenon of psychogenic shortness of breath and neurotic consequences, when the breathing disorder of others (for example, a family member) is unconsciously copied by a person. This situation is especially dangerous in infancy. There are cases where an absolutely healthy child reflexively repeated the intermittent, rapid breathing of the parent, which over time progressed into its own pathology.

Causes of difficulty breathing

Situations when a person has difficulty breathing with a hangover, after a cycle of exercise, or when waking up at night seem not as critical as the ragged breathing of a person at rest. When breathing is difficult for a lying old person or a baby, for a healthy adult in the fresh air, for a teenager leading an active lifestyle - why is there not enough oxygen in such cases?

The causes of respiratory failure may lie in a number of congenital pathologies. Choking during VSD can be a reaction to neurotic attacks; hypoxia is sometimes a side effect of heart failure, a tendency to hypotension and coronary heart disease, problems with the lungs and even with the muscular frame of the chest.

Osteochondrosis and spinal problems can also affect breathing difficulties. The reasons, whatever they may be, should be carefully investigated by the attending physician.

I choke when I'm nervous

It is important to remember that any symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia are closely related to the psycho-emotional sphere. Breathing under stress becomes shallow and constricted, muscles contract spasmodically and are in constant tension. Complaints of “suffocating in the morning” may be a consequence of a nervous habit developed to return to a nervous state as soon as the brain leaves the deep sleep phase.

It happens that it is impossible to take a deep breath when one (no matter whether positive or negative) bright emotion dominates, it is difficult to inhale after eating or sleeping, there is pressure in the sternum due to changes in internal pressure and external temperature. This can be associated with any change in the external situation or internal state - only the fact that the body malfunctions instead of harmoniously adapting to the situation is important.

Bronchial asthma

Sometimes vegetative crises (acute attacks of worsening symptoms of dystonia) are associated with similar exacerbations of another disease. Thus, night suffocation, dry frequent cough with VSD and the inability to breathe fully can be manifestations of bronchial asthma.

Sometimes a short-term, lasting several seconds feeling of “forgot how to breathe” is replaced by an annoying asthmatic cough and happens in moments of emotional fluctuations. Respiratory processes are closely related to the coordination of the nervous system, both conscious and unconscious; this means that asthma in the case of experiencing VSD can be just psychosomatic.

Treatment

Whatever the symptoms, they all complicate the normal course of life, and the person needs the help of a specialist. For clarification, they turn to a therapist, neurologist, cardiologist, psychotherapist - each of these specialists can conduct an examination at their own level in order to find out as accurately as possible what caused the breathing disorder.

Often, in the absence of hereditary pathologies, diseases of the cardiovascular system and without an urgent need for drug treatment of developed neurosis, the problem is solved quite simply. Methods of relaxing physiotherapy, psychological self-diagnosis during attacks and herbal preparations are selected individually for each patient.

Treatment of shortness of breath with tablets

In special cases, when respiratory problems are caused by the development of clinical neurosis, drug therapy is used to treat it. However, any antidepressants, sleeping pills and sedatives must be prescribed by the attending physician and agreed with the diagnosis confirmed by other specialists. Otherwise, drug intervention can only worsen the problem.

For example, if a person at the self-medication level decides to take a course of sleeping pills in order to stop waking up at night, this will not save him from hyperventilation. It will only be more difficult for the body to “ask for help” to the brain when, due to weakening muscle tone, the lungs stop working for 10-15 seconds.

It is important for a person suffering from psychosomatic apnea, first of all, to explain how to breathe correctly and calm the growing fear of suffocation during an exacerbation of the VSD crisis.

Breathing exercises

In order to restore breathing not only in the current moment, but also to ensure a restful night's sleep without unscheduled awakenings, therapeutic exercises are used. It includes both physical exercises to calm the nervous system (such as yoga, stretching and relaxation massages) and statistical breathing exercises.

Their types vary depending on the goal pursued, but one way or another they include training:

deep breath;
control the depth and duration of inhalation and exhalation;
number of inhalations and exhalations per minute;
control of the intensity of diaphragm work;
conscious participation in the respiratory process of other muscle groups.

The benefits of deep breathing are mainly due to increased oxygen saturation. In addition, the depth of inspiration slows down its speed, which means it reduces the risk of involuntary tachycardia, when the heart begins to beat faster than expected due to a series of short shallow breaths.

Respiratoryyoga

Various yoga practices offer a combination of a set of exercises aimed not only at flexibility and muscle tone, but also at the health of internal organs. Aligning the heart rate and eliminating internal smooth muscle tension caused by psychosomatics is a useful skill for diagnosed VSD.

Conscious breathing is first practiced according to the indicated patterns (alternate breaths from each nostril, alternating their depth and duration), then introduced to the level of habit. So, thanks to weeks of training, you can train your body in a stressful situation to slow it down instead of increasing your breathing, urging the body to first calm down and relax.

Therapeutic breathing exercises

Since the middle of the last century, breathing exercises using the Strelnikova method have been actively used in the USSR and are still considered an ingenious method. Including the work of many muscle groups, it helps not only to establish uniform deep breathing, but also to recover after surgery, develop a voice, relieve fatigue, perform a “massage of internal organs,” etc.

It is used not only as a treatment method, but also as a preventive measure, recommended also for adolescents and children. A specially designed set of exercises can replace 15-30 minutes of morning and evening exercises, as well as a relaxing massage session.

Correctly performed breathing exercises are recommended in the presence of both VSD and other concomitant diseases - neurosis, asthma, hypertension, etc.

Prevention

In order to prevent the situation from worsening in the presence of VSD, it is necessary to observe a number of simple conditions for a healthy life. The number one tip is balanced physical activity.

A sedentary lifestyle, cardiac problems and a poorly developed respiratory system are fertile ground for dystonia. To train the body we recommend:

physiotherapy;
fitness (but not active cardio exercises);
yoga;
swimming and various water procedures;
breathing exercises;
walking in the fresh air;
control over emotional state.

In order to prevent the occurrence of neurological shortness of breath due to psychological problems, the body should be given a break from mental stress. If a person devotes most of his time to office work, it is recommended to spend leisure hours paying attention to the body, and not to the screen of the phone, TV and computer.

Sometimes taking sedatives helps in the fight against neurosis, also having a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs.

Every night 7-8 hours of healthy sleep in a clearly established mode, relaxation sessions and selected therapy, a positive psychological attitude towards conscious healthy life - all this helps to establish harmonious functioning of the body.

Breathe heavily? Not enough air?

We inhaled and exhaled. Inhale and exhale again... Breathing is so natural that we do not notice this process. But only until problems arise. And immediately life changes and becomes completely different. What to do and where to go if suddenly there is not enough air and it’s hard to breathe? The reasons may vary.

Pregnancy

Everyone knows that physiological and anatomical changes occur in the body of the expectant mother. They are aimed at preparing the body for the birth of a child and providing the baby with everything necessary. While carrying a baby, absolutely all systems and organs receive a noticeable load. The respiratory system of a pregnant woman works in an enhanced mode. The growth of the fetus affects the greater oxygen demand, which is constantly growing. Accordingly, as the child grows, the diaphragm of a pregnant woman rises. Most often it is difficult to breathe, there is not enough air in the last trimester. This occurs because the uterus compresses the lungs as the baby moves into the upper pelvis. Which is an absolutely normal process that will happen after the baby is born.

Cardiopulmonary failure

This is a clinical syndrome that is characterized by two problems simultaneously: cardiac and pulmonary failure. More often observed with heart defects and myocarditis. It is caused by a violation of the blood circulation in the blood vessels of the lungs and leads to a decrease in blood oxygen saturation. Possible cause of development: a decrease in the vascular network of the lungs, as well as a bronchial infection. The doctor will make a more accurate diagnosis. It is impossible to get rid of cardiopulmonary failure, in which it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air, without the help of a specialist. To diagnose this disease, X-rays, electrokymography, cardiograms, catheterization of the pulmonary artery, right cavities of the heart and other methods are used.

Allergy

This is the body’s increased susceptibility to the influence of certain environmental factors (allergens). In itself, it is not terrible; the body’s response to it can be dangerous - Quincke’s edema may begin, during which it becomes difficult to breathe, and sometimes problems with the functioning of the brain may arise. Then you will need urgent first aid.

Reaction to heat

Some have an atypical reaction: profuse sweating, a feeling that there is not enough air, difficulty breathing, numbness of the limbs, pale face, loss of strength, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate. To ensure that such symptoms no longer occur, special exercises and systematic training are recommended that will strengthen the cardiovascular system, allowing you to endure the heat.

Bronchial asthma

This is a chronic disease (inflammatory) of the respiratory tract. There are several risk factors that contribute to the onset of the disease. Among them:

heredity (if one of your parents was sick in your family, then you are at risk);
professional (the influence of biological, mineral dust, harmful fumes and gases does not have the best effect on the body and the lungs in particular);
environmental (exhaust gases, smoke, harmful fumes, high humidity are a risk for everyone). If you suspect that you may be at high risk, be sure to consult a doctor to avoid even more serious problems. Treatment can only be prescribed by a professional after a series of tests and a full examination.

What to do if it’s hard to breathe, there’s not enough air?

Whatever the reason for the lack of air, this disorder is only a symptom of a disease. You should never diagnose yourself, much less prescribe treatment. First of all, you need to contact your local physician and act solely on the recommendations of a specialist. This is the only way to identify serious problems in the body in a timely manner.

Often, people who have health problems may be bothered by causeless outbreaks of suffocation and insufficient air. Such manifestations are characteristic of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Dyspnea with VSD has certain accompanying symptomatic signs, as well as certain treatment principles.

Causes of shortness of breath

Vegetovascular dystonia (VSD) is the occurrence of a combination of certain symptomatic signs as a result of impaired functionality of individual parts of the nervous system. The appropriate diagnosis of vascular dystonia is made as a result of a lengthy and thorough examination. It should be noted that VSD and lack of air can largely depend on each other.

VSD is not considered an independent disease; rather, it occurs when the proper functioning of the patient’s body is disrupted. Often, VSD is an independent symptomatic sign or process that characterizes a negative change in the functionality of the heart muscle. People of any gender and age categories can be affected by the occurrence of such a factor as a feeling of lack of air during VSD. It is relatively difficult to completely get rid of this kind of manifestations in VSD, but it is quite possible to reduce the incidence of vascular dystonia.

There are many causes of shortness of breath or insufficient air during breathing during VSD, but the most common of them are:

hyperventilation of the lungs - occurs in the process of taking frequent and deep breaths, as a result of which the airy lung tissue increases, which entails an excess of oxygen and a lack of carbon dioxide, this process is characterized by the fact that there is not enough air;
outbreak of panic attack during VSD;
breathing problems;
the influence of numerous stressful and conflict situations, as well as excessive fatigue during VSD.

The main reason for the process of lack of air during VSD, in which difficulty breathing develops, is that the patient unintentionally begins to speed up the breathing process. As a result of the process, a feeling of heaviness is formed, which frightens a person on a psychological level. Excitement during VSD gradually increases and the process intensifies with renewed vigor.

Associated symptoms

Symptomatic signs associated with impaired respiratory activity can manifest themselves in different ways and to varying degrees. Often, the pathological process associated with breathing during VSD may be accompanied by disorders of the muscular and emotional parts of the human body, or attacks of suffocation may occur during VSD. Many symptoms may resemble heart, lung, or thyroid disease. It should be noted that when VSD manifests itself, shortness of breath is considered a quite common phenomenon in relation to the breathing process; the manifestations do not have the ability to affect the performance of internal organs or systems. Associated symptoms of VSD are:

insufficient oxygen;
the presence of a feeling of squeezing in part of the chest;
the occurrence of cough;
attack of suffocation;
inability to take a full breath;
pain in the area of the heart muscle;
possible numbness of individual parts of the upper and lower extremities;
inability to stay in an insufficiently spacious or ventilated room.

Very often, such disorders and processes associated with VSD can have a detrimental effect on the composition of the blood. Gradually, the muscle mass can become tense, and the articular joints actively narrow. The cardiovascular system also undergoes changes during VSD. In this case, insufficient amounts of calcium and magnesium are found in the blood, and dizziness is also possible. Cases when the symptoms of VSD occur in full cannot be excluded, but a complete absence of symptoms is also possible.

Therapeutic measures

If shortness of breath occurs during VSD, you should immediately seek help from medical specialists. Restoring normal breathing in such a situation is quite difficult. First of all, certain pathological processes should be eliminated or excluded in the process of diagnosing through specific treatment of VSD. In addition to the therapist, it is important to consult an ENT specialist, endocrinologist and neurologist. Diagnostic measures include:

X-rays of light;
ultrasound examination of internal organs and the thyroid gland separately.

Confirmation of the alleged diagnosis of VSD is carried out by a neurologist, who selects the appropriate effective treatment. Therapeutic measures during the development of VSD should be used comprehensively. First of all, the patient must change his opinion and attitude regarding the existing disease. The process of eliminating symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment will depend on how much the patient has an understanding of VSD.

Exercise is especially important when it is difficult to breathe. The patient needs to learn to breathe correctly during VSD so that the required amount of oxygen enters the body. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to breathe through the abdomen, especially if it is difficult to breathe with vegetative-vascular dystonia. In this case, at least twice as much time is allocated for inhalation as for exhalation. The atmosphere should be calm, the duration of the lesson should be about half an hour.

If the patient requires correction of psychological disorders, then specialists prescribe medications. The most popular are antidepressants and anxiolytics. The main medications for VSD include Corvalol, Anaprilin, Gidazepam. It is possible that such treatment can be combined with psychotherapy, which is used to restore the patient’s psychological state and difficulty breathing.

Thus, the doctor helps the patient to discover the main cause of respiratory disturbances during VSD and eliminate it at the initial manifestations.

A non-drug method of treating VSD involves the use of the following methods:

to restore the optimal amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide during VSD, you need to breathe into a pressed bag or joined palms;
take a sitting or lying position in case temporary loss of consciousness occurs;
drink a glass of water with sugar;
wash your face, hands and neck in cool water;
try to switch your attention or reproduce the text that you know by heart;
portray mechanical positivity by trying to smile.

When using medications for VSD, it is important to follow the recommendations of the attending physician regarding dosage, course of treatment and possible contraindications.

Seizure prevention

Measures aimed at preventing the onset of the disease are an important part of complex therapy. In this case, it is important to adjust your established lifestyle; it is important to pay attention to those drugs that are actively used in this process. If abnormalities in breathing have an initial stage of manifestation, then it is enough to limit ourselves to certain innovations: changing the daily routine so that the night's rest is at least 8 hours, the room is sufficiently well ventilated, and the sleeping place is as convenient and comfortable as possible.

An active form of recreation is considered no less effective. It is recommended to spend more time in the fresh air, sports should be such that excessive fatigue does not occur, and the autonomic system is not exposed to negative external influences. All classes must be regular to see a positive result. It is imperative to review the diet. Eliminate heavy foods; do not grab food on the run. Take care of your water balance by drinking at least 2 liters of water daily, and avoid lack of fluid intake. You can use herbal medicine, but this method is not always suitable for treating breathing problems due to asthma. It involves the use of drugs based on medicinal plants. Physiotherapeutic procedures deserve special attention. In this case, an excellent solution would be to take a bath with sea salt (if desired and necessary, you can replace it with pine extract, especially if you breathe through your nose), paraffin therapy, wraps and massage procedures.

Certain groups of medications can also be used as prophylaxis. These include nootropic drugs that help normalize blood circulation and saturate certain internal organs with the required amount of oxygen; it is possible to use antidepressants and tranquilizers (the latter are used in case of prolonged lack of sleep and frequent anxiety). It is possible to take hormonal drugs to restore hormonal changes.

Thus, the occurrence of shortness of breath during VSD is quite common. As practice shows, it is important to eliminate the symptomatic signs of the underlying VSD disease, and then move on to measures aimed at restoring the respiratory process.

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