Difficulty breathing: causes, types, methods of auxiliary treatment

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In a healthy person, the number of inhalations and exhalations uncontrolled by consciousness is 14-15 cycles per minute. A condition in which it changes up or down, and chest movements become sharp and heavy, is called dyspnea, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

The reasons for this are insufficient oxygen saturation of the blood or hypoxia. It can be either physiological, caused by physical activity, or pathological, when increased heart rate and difficulty breathing are a consequence of the disease.

The main causes of dyspnea are pathologies of the myocardium and pulmonary system

If you experience difficulty breathing during inhalation, which occurs with minor physical or psycho-emotional stress, as well as at rest or during sleep, it is strictly forbidden. These disorders are a sign of serious illness.

Content:

1. Symptoms of pathology
2. Options for shortness of breath after Covid-19
3. How to assess lung function after COVID-19 3.1. Difficulties in self-diagnosis
4. How to treat shortness of breath after coronavirus 4.1. Medicines for shortness of breath 4.2. Oxygenation 4.3. Inhalations 4.4. Physiotherapeutic procedures 4.5. Breathing exercises
5. Ways to improve lung function on your own

COVID-19 takes its toll throughout the body, but it most commonly affects the lungs. Shortness of breath after Covid is common. It occurs both in people who have had pneumonia and in those who have not encountered serious complications during their illness.

Scientists have found that in approximately 20% of those recovering, the function of the lung tissues has worsened. Patients gasp for air if they are in a hurry, are unable to lie on their back for a long time, and quickly get tired when doing even simple physical work. Things are especially bad for people diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, which leads to scarring of the paired organ.

Under normal conditions, fibrosis is rare. It is most often encountered by people over the age of sixty. With this diagnosis, shortness of breath is a concern. It can be so strong that it is difficult for a person to talk and move.

We suggest you figure out why difficulty breathing after coronavirus bothers you, and how to recognize and eliminate dangerous symptoms. It is important to know this information to prevent complications from Covid-19 from progressing.

Causes of laryngeal spasm in an adult

Throat spasms occur due to a sudden reflex contraction of the muscles of the larynx. This happens in both adults and children for a number of reasons, both external and internal.

External factors (situational):

• the presence of various irritating substances in the air;
• side effects of medications used to treat the throat;
• physical fatigue;
• stress, fear, pain syndrome;
• entry of a foreign body;
• contact with an allergenic source.

These external causes are not very dangerous. When they are eliminated, the person’s condition quickly improves, and the throat spasm rarely recurs.

The following groups of pathologies can be classified as internal (endogenous) causes:

• throat diseases - sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis;
• nervous system disorders, panic attacks;
• severe form of toxicosis in pregnant women;
• bronchitis, pneumonia;
• endocrine diseases;
• malignant tumors of the esophagus and larynx;
• hernia of the cervical spine;
• gastrointestinal pathologies;
• deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

Sometimes throat spasms occur during vocal cord surgery as a reaction to anesthesia.

Most often, spasm of the laryngeal muscles occurs in early spring, when there is a clear lack of vitamins in the body.

Symptoms of pathology

With difficulty breathing, the patient cannot take a deep breath. He makes at least 22 breathing movements per minute. This is typical for moderate pneumonia. In severe cases of the disease, the number of inhalations and exhalations per minute exceeds 30.

A severe inflammatory process is recorded in the lung tissues. A person’s body temperature rises and a nonproductive dry cough occurs. It also happens that there are no accompanying symptoms. Then we can assume that shortness of breath is caused by panic attacks, psychosomatics, and fear.

If, when listening to the lungs, the doctor hears wheezing or whistling, it means there is coronavirus pneumonia and the bronchi are affected. This clinical picture is often observed in individuals with concomitant bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and secondary bacterial infection. It often precedes pulmonary edema.

Difficulties with breathing after coronavirus can be described as follows:

• feeling of tightness in the chest;
• rapid breathing;
• performing shallow breathing movements;
• heaviness when trying to take a deep breath.

Shortness of breath in itself is not a disorder in healthy people. Runners and athletes encounter it. If the onset of the symptom was preceded by difficult physical work, then shortness of breath is the norm. During and after coronavirus, the problem manifests itself even at rest. And this is a dangerous sign. It indicates that the body is suffering due to oxygen deficiency. As you know, in conditions of oxygen deficiency, not a single internal organ works fully.

Neurogenic respiratory disorders: hyperventilation syndrome

History of the study of hyperventilation syndrome (HVS). The first clinical description of HVS was by Da Costa (1842), who summarized his observations of soldiers participating in the Civil War. He observed breathing disorders and various associated unpleasant sensations in the heart area, calling them “soldier’s heart”, “irritable heart”. The connection between pathological symptoms and physical activity was emphasized, hence another term - “effort syndrome”. In 1918, Lewis proposed another name, “neurocirculatory dystonia,” which is still widely used by therapists. Manifestations of HVS such as paresthesia, dizziness, and muscle spasms have been described; a connection between increased breathing (hyperventilation) and muscular-tonic and tetanic disorders has been noted. Already in 1930, it was shown that pain in the heart area with Da Costa syndrome is not only associated with physical activity, but also with hyperventilation as a result of emotional disturbances. These observations were confirmed during the Second World War. Hyperventilation manifestations were noted in both soldiers and civilians, which indicated the importance of psychological factors in the genesis of HVS.

Etiology and pathogenesis. In the 80–90s of the twentieth century, it was shown that HVS is part of the structure of the psychovegetative syndrome [1]. The main etiological factor is anxiety, anxiety-depressive (less often, hysterical) disorders. It is mental disorders that disrupt normal breathing and lead to hyperventilation. The respiratory system, on the one hand, has a high degree of autonomy, on the other, a high degree of learning ability and a close connection with the emotional state, especially anxiety. These features underlie the fact that HVS is in most cases of psychogenic origin; extremely rarely it is caused by organic neurological and somatic diseases - cardiovascular, pulmonary and endocrine.

Complex biochemical changes play an important role in the pathogenesis of HVS, especially in the calcium-magnesium homeostasis system. Mineral imbalance leads to an imbalance in the respiratory enzyme system and contributes to the development of hyperventilation.

The habit of breathing incorrectly is formed under the influence of cultural factors, past life experiences, as well as stressful situations suffered by the patient in childhood. The peculiarity of childhood psychogenies in patients with HVS is that they often involve respiratory dysfunction: children witness dramatic manifestations of attacks of bronchial asthma, cardiovascular and other diseases. In the past, patients themselves often have an increased load on the respiratory system: running, swimming, playing wind instruments, etc. In 1991, I. V. Moldovanu [1] showed that with HVS there is instability of breathing, a change in the ratio between the duration of inspiration and exhale.

Thus, the pathogenesis of HVS appears to be multilevel and multidimensional. A psychogenic factor (most often anxiety) disrupts normal breathing, resulting in hyperventilation. An increase in pulmonary and alveolar ventilation leads to stable biochemical changes: excessive release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the body, the development of hypocapnia with a decrease in the partial pressure of CO2 in the alveolar air and oxygen in the arterial blood, as well as respiratory alkolosis. These shifts contribute to the formation of pathological symptoms: impaired consciousness, autonomic, muscular-tonic, algic, sensory and other disorders. As a result, mental disorders increase and a pathological circle is formed.

Clinical manifestations of HVS. HVS can be paroxysmal in nature (hyperventilation crisis), but more often hyperventilation disorders are permanent. HVS is characterized by a classic triad of symptoms: respiratory disorders, emotional disturbances and muscular-tonic disorders (neurogenic tetany).

The first are represented by the following types:

• "empty breath";
• violation of breathing automaticity;
• labored breathing;
• hyperventilation equivalents (sighs, coughing, yawning, sniffling).
• Emotional disorders are manifested by feelings of anxiety, fear, and internal tension.

Muscular-tonic disorders (neurogenic tetany) include:

• sensory disturbances (numbness, tingling, burning);
• convulsive phenomena (muscle spasms, “obstetrician’s hand”, carpopedal spasms);
• Chvostek syndrome II–III degree;
• positive Trousseau test.

In the first type of respiratory disorder - “empty breath” - the main sensation is dissatisfaction with inhalation, a feeling of lack of air, which leads to deep breaths. Patients constantly lack air. They open the vents and windows and become “air maniacs.” Respiratory disorders intensify in agoraphobic situations (subway) or social phobia (exam, public speaking). Breathing in such patients is frequent and/or deep.

In the second type - a violation of the automaticity of breathing - patients have a feeling of stopping breathing, so they continuously monitor the act of breathing and are constantly involved in its regulation.

The third type - shortness of breath syndrome - differs from the first option in that breathing is felt by patients as difficult and performed with great effort. They complain of a “lump” in the throat, failure of air to pass into the lungs, and constriction of breathing. This variant is called "atypical asthma." Objectively, increased breathing and irregular rhythm are noted. The act of breathing uses the respiratory muscles. The patient looks tense and restless. Examination of the lungs does not reveal any pathology.

The fourth type - hyperventilation equivalents - is characterized by periodically observed sighs, coughing, yawning, and sniffling. These manifestations are sufficient to maintain prolonged hypocapnia and alkalosis in the blood.

Emotional disturbances in HVS are mainly of an anxious or phobic nature. The most common disorder is generalized anxiety disorder. It, as a rule, is not associated with any specific stressful situation - the patient experiences various mental (feelings of constant internal tension, inability to relax, anxiety over trifles) and somatic manifestations for a long time (more than 6 months). Among the latter, respiratory disorders (usually “empty breath” or hyperventilation equivalents - coughing, yawning) may form the core of the clinical picture - along with, for example, algic and cardiovascular manifestations.

Respiratory disturbances reach a significant degree during a panic attack, when a so-called hyperventilation crisis develops. Disorders of the second and third types are more common - loss of automatic breathing and difficulty breathing. The patient experiences a fear of suffocation and other symptoms characteristic of a panic attack. To diagnose a panic attack, four of the following 13 symptoms must be observed: palpitations, sweating, chills, shortness of breath, suffocation, pain and discomfort in the left side of the chest, nausea, dizziness, a feeling of derealization, fear of going crazy, fear of death, paresthesia, waves heat and cold. An effective method for relieving a hyperventilation crisis and other symptoms associated with respiratory failure is breathing into a paper or plastic bag. In this case, the patient breathes his own exhaled air with a high content of carbon dioxide, which leads to a decrease in respiratory alkalosis and the listed symptoms.

Agoraphobia is often the cause of HVS. This is fear that arises in situations that the patient regards as difficult to help him. For example, a similar condition can occur in the subway, store, etc. Such patients, as a rule, do not leave home unaccompanied and avoid these places.

A special place in the clinical picture of HVS is occupied by an increase in neuromuscular excitability, manifested by tetany. Tetanic symptoms include:

• sensory disorders in the form of paresthesia (numbness, tingling, crawling, buzzing, burning sensations, etc.);
• convulsive muscular-tonic phenomena - spasms, contractions, tonic convulsions in the hands, with the phenomenon of “obstetrician’s hand” or carpopedal spasms.

These manifestations often occur in the picture of a hyperventilation crisis. In addition, increased neuromuscular excitability is characterized by Chvostek's symptom, a positive Trousseau cuff test and its variant, the Trousseau-Bahnsdorff test. The characteristic electromyographic (EMG) signs of latent muscle tetany are essential in the diagnosis of tetany. An increase in neuromuscular excitability is caused by the presence in patients with HVS of a mineral imbalance of calcium, magnesium, chlorides, and potassium, caused by hypocapnic alkalosis. There is a clear connection between increased neuromuscular excitability and hyperventilation.

Along with the classic manifestations of HVS, paroxysmal and permanent, there are other disorders characteristic of the psychovegetative syndrome as a whole:

• cardiovascular disorders - pain in the heart, palpitations, discomfort, chest compression. Objectively, lability of pulse and blood pressure, extrasystole are noted, and on the ECG - fluctuation of the ST segment; acrocyanosis, distal hyperhidrosis, Raynaud's phenomenon;
• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract: increased intestinal motility, belching of air, bloating, nausea, abdominal pain;
• changes in consciousness, manifested by a feeling of unreality, lipothymia, dizziness, blurred vision, in the form of fog or a grid before the eyes;
• algic manifestations, represented by cephalgia or cardialgia.

So, to diagnose hot water supply, confirmation of the following criteria is necessary:

1. The presence of polymorphic complaints: respiratory, emotional and muscular-tonic disorders, as well as additional symptoms.
2. Absence of organic nervous and somatic diseases.
3. Presence of psychogenic history.
4. Positive hyperventilation test.
5. Disappearance of symptoms of hyperventilation crisis when breathing into a bag or inhaling a mixture of gases (5% CO2).
6. Presence of tetany symptoms: Chvostek's sign, positive Trousseau test, positive EMG test for latent tetany.
7. Change in blood pH towards alkalosis.

Treatment of hot water supply

Treatment of hot water supply is comprehensive and is aimed at correcting mental disorders, teaching proper breathing, and eliminating mineral imbalances.

Non-drug methods

1. The essence of the disease is explained to the patient, they are convinced that it is curable (the origin of the symptoms of the disease, especially somatic ones, and their relationship with the mental state are explained; they are convinced that there is no organic disease).
2. It is recommended to quit smoking and drink less coffee and alcohol.
3. Breathing exercises are prescribed to regulate the depth and frequency of breathing. To carry it out correctly, several principles must be observed. First, switch to diaphragmatic abdominal breathing, during which the “inhibitory” Hering-Breuer reflex is activated, causing a decrease in the activity of the reticular formation of the brain stem and, as a result, muscle and mental relaxation. Secondly, maintain certain relationships between inhalation and exhalation: inhalation is 2 times shorter than exhalation. Thirdly, breathing should be rare. And finally, fourthly, breathing exercises should be carried out against the background of mental relaxation and positive emotions. At first, breathing exercises last for several minutes, then for quite a long time, forming a new psychophysiological breathing pattern.
4. For severe hyperventilation disorders, breathing into a bag is recommended.
5. Autogenic training and breathing-relaxation training are shown.
6. Psychotherapeutic treatment is highly effective.
7. Among the instrumental non-drug methods, biofeedback is used. The feedback mechanism with the objectification of a number of parameters in real time allows you to achieve more effective mental and muscle relaxation, as well as regulate your breathing pattern more successfully than with autogenic training and breathing-relaxation training. The biofeedback method has been successfully used for many years in the Clinic of Headache and Autonomic Disorders named after. acad. A. Veina for the treatment of hyperventilation disorders, panic attacks, anxiety and anxiety-phobic disorders, as well as tension headaches.

Medicinal methods

Hyperventilation syndrome refers to psychovegetative syndromes. Its main etiological factor is anxiety, anxiety-depressive and phobic disorders. Psychotropic therapy has priority in its treatment. In the treatment of anxiety disorders, antidepressants are more effective than anxiolytic drugs. Patients with anxiety disorders should be prescribed antidepressants with pronounced sedative or anxiolytic properties (amitriptyline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, mirtazapine). The therapeutic dose of amitriptyline is 50–75 mg/day; to reduce side effects: lethargy, drowsiness, dry mouth, etc., the dose should be increased very slowly. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have better tolerability and fewer unwanted side effects. The therapeutic dose of fluvoxamine is 50–100 mg/day, paroxetine is 20–40 mg/day. Their most common unwanted side effects include nausea. To prevent it or more successfully overcome it, it is also recommended to prescribe the drug at half the dosage at the beginning of therapy and take it with meals. Given the hypnotic effect of fluvoxamine, the drug should be prescribed in the evening; Paroxetine has less pronounced hypnogenic properties, so it is often recommended to take it with breakfast. The four-cyclic antidepressant mirtazapine has a pronounced anti-anxiety and hypnotic effect. It is usually prescribed at bedtime, starting with 7.5 or 15 mg, gradually increasing the dose to 30–60 mg/day. When prescribing balanced antidepressants (without pronounced sedative or activating effects): citalopram (20–40 mg/day), escitalopram (10–20 mg/day), sertraline (50–100 mg/day), etc., their combination is possible for a short period of 2–4 weeks with anxiolytics. The use of such a “benzodiazepine bridge” in some cases makes it possible to accelerate the onset of action of psychotropic therapy (this is important, given the delayed effect of antidepressants by 2-3 weeks) and to overcome the increase in anxiety symptoms that temporarily arise in some patients at the beginning of therapy. If the patient has hyperventilation crises during an attack, along with breathing into the bag, anxiolytics should be taken as abortive therapy: alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam. The duration of psychotropic therapy is 3–6 months, if necessary up to 1 year.

Psychotropic drugs, along with a positive therapeutic effect, also have a number of negative properties: unwanted side effects, allergization, development of addiction and dependence, especially to benzodiazepines. In this regard, it is advisable to use alternative means, in particular, means that correct mineral imbalance, which is the most important symptom-forming factor in hyperventilation disorders.

As agents that reduce neuromuscular excitability, drugs that regulate calcium and magnesium metabolism are prescribed. The most commonly used are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), Calcium-D3, as well as other medications containing calcium for 1–2 months.

The generally accepted view is that magnesium is an ion with clear neurosedative and neuroprotective properties. Magnesium deficiency in some cases leads to increased neuro-reflex excitability, decreased attention, memory, convulsive attacks, impaired consciousness, heart rhythm, sleep disorders, tetany, paresthesia, and ataxia. Stress - both physical and mental - increases the need for magnesium in the body and causes intracellular magnesium deficiency. A state of stress leads to depletion of intracellular magnesium reserves and its loss in the urine, since an increased amount of adrenaline and norepinephrine promotes its release from cells. Magnesium sulfate has been used in neurological practice for a long time as an antihypertensive and anticonvulsant. There are studies on the effectiveness of magnesium in the treatment of the consequences of acute cerebrovascular accident [2] and traumatic brain injury [4], as an additional remedy for epilepsy, and the treatment of autism in children [3, 7].

Magne B6 contains magnesium lactate and pyridoxine, which additionally potentiates the absorption of magnesium in the intestine and its transport into cells [6]. The implementation of the sedative, analgesic and anticonvulsant effects of magnesium-containing drugs is based on the property of magnesium to inhibit excitation processes in the cerebral cortex [5]. Prescribing Magne B6 both as monotherapy, 2 tablets 3 times a day, and in complex therapy in combination with psychotropic drugs and non-drug treatment methods, leads to a decrease in the clinical manifestations of HVS.

For questions regarding literature, please contact the editor.

E. G. Filatova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of MMA named after. I. M. Sechenova, Moscow

Options for shortness of breath after Covid-19

To date, doctors have described two types of difficulty breathing after coronavirus:

• Gradual
  . A person feels that he is breathing “insufficiently.” Difficulties with inhalation and exhalation occur even at rest. The situation gets worse at night. If the patient raises his hands up, he feels a little better. Worried about decreased performance.
• Sudden
  . At first the patient feels well, but at some point his body temperature rises, severe headache, and sweating occur. Full breathing becomes impossible. There is a panicky fear of dying from suffocation.

Both the first and second options require receiving qualified medical care. At the same time, you cannot hesitate, since even with mild symptoms, a moment may come when full breathing becomes impossible.

Prevention

To prevent shortness of breath, you need to establish a balanced diet with enough fat. The fact is that the surfactant responsible for normal respiratory activity is a phospholipid.

The key function of fats in our body is precisely the synthesis of this substance. Low-fat foods aggravate the existing respiratory problem, provoke a drop in the concentration of surfactant in the alveoli, hypoxia and associated shortness of breath and heavy breathing.

The most useful products that correct the diet in this case are considered to be avocados, olives, seafood and sea fish, nuts - everything that contains OMEGA-3 acids.

Hypoxia is not only a trigger for respiratory disorders, it provokes heart failure and is a common cause of premature death. It is especially important for pregnant women to properly formulate their diet, since the health of the baby depends on it.

Taking care of your respiratory system is easy. In addition to proper nutrition, it is recommended:

• visiting salt caves, rooms;
• daily inflation of balloons: from 5 to 10 pieces;
• walk more, at a brisk pace;
• go to the gym;
• run;
• swim;
• get enough sleep;
• completely give up bad habits;
• get rid of stressful situations (often feelings of anger or fear provoke shortness of breath);
• undergo an annual medical examination with measurement of respiratory function;
• take preventive courses of multivitamins and microelements;
• promptly treat colds, ARVI, flu, infections.

The essence of preventing attacks of heavy breathing is a healthy lifestyle and timely seeking medical help if the need arises.

How to assess lung function after COVID-19

There is a no-false breath test that anyone can do on their own. According to its terms, it is necessary:

1. Take a deep breath through your nose.
2. Hold your breath for ten seconds.
3. Exhale slowly.

If during testing no discomfort arises, a cough does not start, or a strong sore throat does not appear, then everything is fine with the lungs. If your health worsens when you try to hold in air, a medical examination is indicated.

Difficulties in self-diagnosis

Shortness of breath, which occurs due to narrowing of the nasal passages and swelling of the mucous membranes during a runny nose, and which manifests itself due to deterioration of the lungs - these are two completely different problems. A person is not able to independently understand what causes his illness.

Therefore, if you have difficulty breathing, you should still seek help from a therapist or pulmonologist. Self-medication for such symptoms is unacceptable.

Diagnostics

If breathing is difficult, the reasons for it are usually clarified by a therapist, pulmonologist and/or cardiologist.

Breathing problems and coughing may not only be caused by lung disease

To clarify the diagnosis, without which it will not be possible to get rid of difficulty breathing, you may need to undergo the following examinations:

• blood gas test;
• spirometry, fluorography, x-ray, CT or MRI of the lungs;
• blood pressure control, ECG, ultrasound of the heart;
• if a tumor is suspected - a biopsy, a blood test for tumor markers.

How to treat shortness of breath after coronavirus

When helping people who have difficulty taking deep breaths, doctors use:

• drug therapy;
• oxygenation;
• inhalation;
• physiotherapy;
• breathing exercises.

Let's look at each method in more detail.

Medicines for shortness of breath

To improve pulmonary function, doctors prescribe drugs belonging to such pharmacological groups as:

• antiviral;
• immunomodulators;
• bronchodilators;
• expectorants;
• thinning phlegm;
• antibiotics.

Drugs and their dosages are always selected individually, taking into account the severity of the symptoms of the disease and the patient’s health status.

Oxygenation

It is inhaled oxygen therapy. Used if a person is unable to breathe on their own. Then oxygen is introduced directly into the respiratory tract through a special catheter.

Oxygenation is required only for seriously ill patients. If a person controls his condition and follows all medical prescriptions, the risk of sudden suffocation will be minimal.

Inhalations

During inhalation, a nebulizer is used, breaking the medicinal solution into tiny particles that easily penetrate into the deep tissues of the lungs. A good effect can be achieved by:

• agents that thin viscous sputum;
• antiseptics;
• sea ​​water;
• saline solution;
• bronchodilators;
• coughing

Inhalations should not be carried out unless prescribed by a doctor, since if the inhaled drug is selected incorrectly, lung function may deteriorate.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

To speed up the resorption of inflammatory foci and abnormal compactions, during and after coronavirus, you need to do the following:

• massage of the chest area;
• UHF therapy;
• electrophoresis with enzyme solutions;
• SMT.

It is important to follow the physiotherapy course to the very end. If you abandon the procedures immediately after you feel better, the negative symptoms will most likely return again.

Breathing exercises

You should do breathing exercises during illness and for at least one month after receiving a negative test for COVID-19. They activate the muscles of the chest and increase blood flow to the lung tissues.

If a patient suffers from severe shortness of breath, the doctor may recommend using a respirometer, a device that measures the intensity in cells and tissues.

Allergy

Allergic reactions are among the leaders in the number of cases of sudden suffocation. The immune response can have varying intensity. From a minor rash to bronchospasm and anaphylactic shock.

Each case needs to be examined separately.

The causes of allergies are varied. This includes ingestion of allergenic food, inhalation of pathogenic structures, dust, chemical compounds in the form of dyes, air fresheners, detergents and washing powders (most often these factors provoke the symptom in question).

Manifestations: intense suffocation, especially with Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock, also with an attack of allergic bronchial asthma, pain in the chest, a feeling as if something is itching in the throat.

Often, suffocation is accompanied by classic manifestations of the immune response, including itching and redness of the skin, lacrimation, and copious discharge of clear mucus from the nose.

Treatment: first-third generation antihistamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, bronchodilators in the system.

Ways to improve lung function on your own

What can a person suffering from shortness of breath after coronavirus do? There are simple ways to normalize pulmonary activity:

• Eating foods
  that increase lung capacity. Preference should be given to fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes, blueberries, nuts, onions, and citrus fruits are especially useful. Spices and fatty foods should be avoided.
• No smoking
  . Tobacco smoke and the toxins it contains make the lungs extremely vulnerable. In order for the tissue to recover and the inflammatory process to stop progressing, it is important to stop smoking.

• Do cardio workouts.
  You need to start them only if you are in good physical health. Cardio increases lung capacity, normalizes blood circulation, and increases heart rate. It is good if the exercises are performed in the fresh air. But the load should be increased gradually.
• Respiratory protection from environmental pollution.
  A person who has recently had Covid-19 should not be in polluted conditions. If his professional activity involves being in harmful conditions, it is better to take a long vacation.

Patients who strictly follow the doctor's instructions, take medications, perform breathing exercises and eat properly quickly stop suffering from shortness of breath. Take care of your health and don't let the coronavirus deprive you of your ability to breathe deeply.

What to do if an attack of suffocation occurs

The algorithm of actions in case of an attack of suffocation or heavy breathing depends on the cause that caused the pathology. But there are general rules that are recommended to be followed when shortness of breath increases:

• first of all, you need to calm down and try to soberly assess the situation, without panic;
• if breathing problems are accompanied by increasing shortness of breath, chest pain, redness of the face - urgently call an ambulance;
• pasty tissues of the head and face, swollen lips, cheeks, puffy eyes indicate Quincke's edema;
• fainting, loss of consciousness, fogginess, hypotension, vertigo, nausea, occipital cephalgia, hyperhidrosis, chills, darkness before the eyes - typical symptoms for VSD;
• before the ambulance arrives, ensure a minimum of movement for the victim;
• open access to fresh air;
• take sedatives: Corvalol, motherwort, Valerian;
• You can take other drugs only if the reason is clear, the treatment regimen has been previously agreed upon with the doctor (this is not the first attack): Suprastin, Berodual, Nitroglycerin.

After the doctors arrive, all actions taken must be reported to the ambulance team. If hospitalization is suggested, it is better not to refuse it; the consequences of each attack of heavy breathing can be unpredictable.

Literature:

1. COVID-19, coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 / 2020 / ORGZDRAV: News. Opinions. Education. VSHOUZ Bulletin.
2. COVID-19: respiratory infection caused by a new coronavirus: new data on epidemiology, clinical course, patient management.
3. Medical rehabilitation for new coronavirus infection (Covid-19) / Ivanova G. E., Balandina I. N., Bakhtina I. S., Belkin A. A., Belyaev A. F., et al. / 2021 / Physical and rehabilitation medicine, medical rehabilitation

The text was checked by expert doctors:
Head of the socio-psychological service of the Alkoklinik MC, psychologist Yu.P. Baranova, L.A. Serova, a psychiatrist-narcologist.
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Thyroid diseases

A goiter is possible due to thyrotoxicosis (excessive secretion of the hormones thyroxine T_4 and triiodothyronine T_3. The enlarged thyroid gland compresses the throat and gradually begins to choke the patient.

However, the symptom of lack of air is characteristic only at the advanced stage, when the size of the affected organ has increased by 20-30%, and this is already visible to the naked eye.

Goiter develops due to excess iodine in food. Treatment consists of changing a low-iodine diet, which is prescribed by an endocrinologist.

Risk factor

Paroxysmal nocturnal shortness of breath may occur if you are at increased risk of developing heart or lung disease. Risk factors for developing heart failure include:

heart disease

• high blood pressure
• cardiac ischemia
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
• obesity
• tobacco and alcohol use
• low activity level
• unhealthy diet

Risk factors for developing lung diseases:

• tobacco smoke
• air pollutants
• allergens

Physiological norms of respiratory frequency

If your baby's breathing differs from average norms or causes concern, you should contact your pediatrician. Only a doctor can reliably determine whether a child has shortness of breath.