If you are breathless, you may experience uncomfortable or fast breathing. You may feel short of breath or your chest may feel tight. Different causes of breathlessness include:
- cancer affecting the lungs
- build-up of fluid in the lungs or stomach
- low levels of red blood cells
- chest infections
- weak muscles
- pain
- blood clots
- smoking
- anxiety
- cancer treatments
Your doctor can explain the cause of your breathlessness and help you find the best treatment.
Tips to help you breathe more easily
Breathlessness can be a difficult symptom to live with. But there are ways you can manage it.
There are different breathing techniques that you may find helpful. These include finding a sitting or standing position that is comfortable for you when you feel breathless.
You may also want to learn a technique called controlled breathing. This involves using your diaphragm and lower chest muscles to breathe instead of upper chest and shoulder muscles, which causes fast, shallow breathing. Controlled breathing can help you breathe more gently and effectively.
Once you are in a comfortable position, try breathing in through your nose and out gently through your mouth. As you breathe out, try to relax your shoulders and upper chest muscles when you are feeling breathless.
Another option is to use a small handheld fan to reduce your breathlessness. You can use it to blow cool air towards your nose and mouth. Sitting in front of an open window may also be helpful for you.
