Allergies, asthma, inflammation, and infection are just some of the conditions that can cause you to have breathing problems. The right diagnosis and treatment, along with better understanding of your condition, can help you manage your breathing problems.
Talk to your doctor right away anytime you notice problems with breathing -- especially if you also have symptoms like chest pain, a long-lasting cough, or fatigue. Some cases might require immediate treatment
What Causes Breathing Problems?
Some people have trouble breathing when they get a cold. For others, it’s caused by infections like sinusitis. Sinusitis can make it hard to breathe through your nose for a week or two, until the inflammation eases and your congested sinuses begin to drain.
Many breathing problems are long-term (chronic). These include chronic sinusitis, allergies, and asthma. They can cause symptoms such as nasal congestion, a runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, chest congestion, coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, and shallow breathing.
Your nasal passage is a pathway for viruses and allergens to enter your lungs. So your nose and sinuses are often linked with many lung disorders. Sinus or nasal passage inflammation may trigger asthma attacks. And the No. 1 trigger for asthma is allergies.
More than 50 million Americans have allergies. And 17 million American adults have asthma. The two often happen together. Without treatment, they can make life miserable.
Smoking causes breathing problems because it damages the tubes, or “airways,” that carry air to your lungs. It also damages the tiny air sacs, or “alveoli,” in your lungs that move oxygen into your blood and remove carbon dioxide (CO2). Even secondhand smoke can lead to breathing problems.
Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancer as well as most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Millions of Americans have breathing problems because of COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Lung cancer is less common and often doesn't cause symptoms in its early stages. But it can lead to breathing problems, along with issues like chest or back pain and a cough that doesn't go away.
Breathing problems may also stem from other serious problems such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, COVID-19, and lung disease related to HIV or AIDS.
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